A committee of the State Board of Higher Education has endorsed a plan by Williston State College to charge in-state tuition rates for students from surrounding states and Canadian provinces.
WSC has done this in the past.
College President Dr. John Miller told the Board’s Budget and Finance Committee he’s concerned about the college remaining competitive.
"We believe that, if we keep our factors, our tuition at a cost-effective place, it's going to spur growth," Miller said. "That, in turn, will lead to additional tuition revenue in the long run."
Miller said WSC has seen growth over the past 5 years.
Committee chair Nick Hacker supported the idea – but sounded a cautionary note about the downside to head count growth.
"If it has a negative impact on your college's financial picture, it's not good growth," Hacker said.
But Miller told the Committee he’s more interested in full time-equivalent students and the credit hours they take.
"It really comes down to how many credits you're generating," Miller told the committee.
The full Board will look at the plan later this month.