By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
In the world of higher education, May 1 is National College Decision Day – when high school seniors ideally have made up their minds on where to further their educations.
As the Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees met on that day, Friday, they learned that more graduates were selecting BGSU. And they voted to increase instructional and general fees by 3% (approximately $18 more per credit hour) for those new students – while holding existing rates in place for students who have already completed a year or more of college.
Sticking by the promise of the Falcon Tuition Guarantee, the trustees set tuition and general fee rates for the 2026-27 academic year, which includes locked-in costs for 12 consecutive semesters for all new, first-time undergraduate students.
For most graduate degree programs, the trustees adopted a 3.5% tuition and general fee increase for students enrolled in both in-person and BGSU Online programs. The board opted to not increase the out-of-state surcharge for undergraduate and graduate students, who pay a higher overall tuition and fee rate than Ohio residents.
Casey Wyman, chief financial officer and vice president for BGSU Finance and Administration, said the tuition increase will help the university maintain academic quality and financial health. The undergraduate increase is expected to bring in $1.5 million more for the university, while the graduate student increase is predicted to generate an additional $509,000.
At the same time, the previous tuition costs will stay in place as part of the university’s “Falcon tuition guarantee” through which students are guaranteed that their costs for going to BGSU will not change over four years, except for some program specific fees.
With the new tuition increases, BGSU will rank fourth in terms of instructional fees, behind Miami University, University of Cleveland and Ohio University.
Earlier this year, at the February meeting, the trustees voted to increase costs for incoming freshmen this fall for on campus housing, dining plans and academic course fees.
For the class of 2030, the board approved an average 2.5% adjustment in rates for its housing, which ranges from basic to premium residence hall rooms. At the same time, student meal plans will increase by 3% or about $4.38 per week.
The university has approximately 6,000 student beds, which are currently at 102% capacity. Wyman explained that some single rooms have been converted into doubles, and some common areas in residence halls have been renovated for housing students.
The costs for housing vary depending on the amenities of the four-tiered type of rooms. The average 2.5% increase should be enough to cover costs to operate and invest in necessary updates, Wyman said.
At the same time the increases should be manageable for new students.
“We wanted to keep our prices down for those who need it most,” Wyman said.
The different tiers of housing depend on the newness of the halls, the type of private spaces provided, and the presence of air conditioning in rooms.
The prices per semester will start at the lowest rate of $2,545 to the most expensive at $4,900.
Also in February, the board voted to increase meal plan rates by 3%. BGSU partners with Chartwells for food selections on campus. As with housing, once the meal plans are priced for an incoming class, they remain the same for that class for four years.
There are three basic meal plans, ranging from $2,232 up to $3,007 for a semester. The 3% increase will mean the average weekly costs will go up between $4.38 to $5.86 depending on the meal plan.
When explaining the need for the increase, Wyman said the prices for food, supplies and labor have all increased substantially over the past 12 months.
With the new fees in place, BGSU ranks third lowest among Ohio’s 13 four-year public universities, for total room and meals costs.
The board of trustees also revised fees for special courses, following a 10-year suspension by the state of such fees. The increases will pay for such specific expenses as lab supplies, unique software, travel, special speakers or exhibits.
According to Wyman, the fees will cover the additional opportunities, hands-on experiences, group interactions and problem-solving opportunities that are invaluable to overall learning outcomes.
Also on Friday, Cecilia Castellano gave her last report to the BGSU Trustees as vice president for Enrollment Management.
Castellano echoed previous reports to the trustees, noting continuing record enrollment expected for this fall.
The number of campus visitors is up by 7%, FAFSA applications received are up 19%, and graduate admissions are up 10%, she reported. All those numbers could add up to a fall enrollment increase of 7% over last year, representing 4,000 new students in August.
“Why would they choose anyplace else,” BGSU President Dr. Rodney Rogers said.
Rogers praised Castellano for her “willingness to think boldly,” reaching several years of record setting enrollment.
Also at the meeting, Dr. Glenn M. Davis, vice president for Student Engagement and Success, reported on an increased student retention rate of 84%. Davis said efforts are being made to re-engage former students, by removing barriers for those who have left college without a degree but would like to return.
While the retention numbers are improving, BGSU officials still have their sights set on reaching the Miami University retention rates of 89-90%.
