BY: Logan Peterson, petersonlo@mnstate.edu
Last night, Student Senate voted to recommend an increase in the fee for incoming students from $90 to $120.
The fee, called the “New Student Orientation Fee,” is a one-time charge to new students at MSUM.
This money goes toward activities new students take part in such as Student Orientation, Advising & Registration (SOAR); Welcome Week; First Year Experience (FYE); and other events specifically targeted toward first year and transfer students.
The current $90 fee has not increased since fall of 2010. A moratorium was placed on the fee in fall of 2013, which did not allow an increase in the fee until the moratorium was lifted in fall of 2018.
History of Fee change
o Fall 2007 – $50/new student
o Fall 2009 – $75/new student (33% increase)
o Fall 2010 – $90/new student (17% increase)
o Fall 2013 – Moratorium placed on fee which restricted any fee increases until further notice
o Fall 2018 – Moratorium lifted o Proposed Fall 2019 request – $120 (25% increase)
According to the report, this proposal will bring MSUM to the standard at other universities in the area. It stated that prices ranged from $75 plus $25 per guest at St. Cloud State University, to $125 plus $25 per guest at Minnesota State University Mankato.
Fee Comparison at other Universities
o St. Cloud State University $75/new student + $25/guest
o North Dakota State University $120/new student + $25/guest
o University of North Dakota $150/new student + $25/guest
o Minnesota State University Mankato $125/new student + $25/guest
These events do have an effect on student retention according to the report. Regarding SOAR, 92% of freshmen that took on-campus SOAR in fall of 2018 stayed at MSUM, compared to the 81% who stayed of students who took the online SOAR program. Another example is Dragon Welcome Week (DWW): 93% of freshmen that attended DWW were retained, while the group that did not attend was retained at 81%.
Fall 2018 to Spring 2019 Retention Rates
o Freshmen (91%) 92% – On-Campus SOAR
81% – Online SOAR
o Transfer (89%) 89%
– On-Campus SOAR 89%
– Online SOAR 84% – Did Not Utilize SOAR
Fall 2018 to Spring 2019 Retention Rates
o Freshman (91% overall) 93%
– Attended DWW 81%
– Did Not Attend DWW
o Transfer (89%) 98%
– Attended DWW 88%
– Did Not Attend DWW