Trustees vote to raise tuition, other student fees at The Evergreen State College
The Board of Trustees at The Evergreen State College in Olympia voted this week to increase tuition and other student-related fees for the 2023-2024 school year.
Tuition will increase by 3 percent, services and activities fees will grow by 4 percent and housing and dining costs will jump 7 percent, the college previously announced.
The 3-percent tuition increase is being requested by most of the other four-year, public institutions in Washington, according to the college.
“These increases will help the college adjust to the skyrocketing economic costs associated with food, goods and housing that are affecting people across the nation,” college officials said in a news release.
The net result, Chief Financial Officer Dave Kohler told the board in May, is this: The estimated cost of attendance at Evergreen for a state resident to attend full-time and live on campus in the 2023-2024 school year would be $29,962, up from $27,007 for the 2022-2023 school year.
“The largest component of this is the housing and dining costs,” he said.
The 4 percent increase in services and activities fees — which are used to support a number of things on campus, including the campus radio station, the athletic program and the college activities building — would raise the full-time annual fee by $30, from $759 to $789, The Olympian previously reported.
The housing and dining increase would result in an additional $550 to $680 per year, or $60 to $75 per month, according to college information.
Susan Hopp, interim director of residential and dining services, said the college monitors the cost of the private-sector apartment market so that the college is never charging more for its housing. Campus housing includes all utilities and internet access, The Olympian reported.
“Evergreen has long been known for not only its academic excellence but for its commitment to inclusive learning and so the decision to increase costs was one that was not taken lightly,” said John Carmichael, president of Evergreen, in a statement.
“Even with these cost adjustments, Evergreen remains extremely affordable for our students,” added the college’s Executive Vice President Dexter Gordon.
The college has resources for students who may struggle with the adjustments in fees including its Basic Needs Center which offers food, hygiene items and other basic needs at no cost, according to the release.
They also offer appointments to help students apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, through the state’s Department of Social and Health Services and housing support consultation.
The cost of attending The Evergreen State College might go up. Here’s what to know
