University of Wyoming trustees are mulling a change in how student fees are charged, moving from per-credit billing to a flat rate. 

The change is one of the issues the UW Board of Trustees will discuss at its next meeting Sept. 14-16. 

The way the fee structure stands now, students pay per credit hour. Trustees are considering moving to a block tuition model, which means full-time students would pay a set rate regardless of the number of credits they are taking in the range of 12-18. 

The change is meant to make it more clear for students how much they will be paying for college and encourage them to graduate within a four-year window, according to UW. 

While the university already offers a cost calculator for students, the current tuition model can leave some with questions about the cost of their education. 

“I think it provides some transparency for the student in what the cost will be,” Trustee Laura Schmid-Pizzato said of the block model during a July board retreat. 

In addition to clarifying what can be a murky tuition paying process, the block schedule can offer students flexibility in adding or dropping courses without having to worry about how academic decisions could influence their finances. 

It will also encourage students to take more courses, Schmid-Pizzato said. 

The block rate would be priced based on a 15-credit-hour semester, meaning students who take more than 15 credits would save money under the new structure, while those who take fewer than 15 credits would pay more per credit. UW students are required to take a minimum of 12 credits each semester to be considered full-time, and taking 15 credits per semester is recommended to graduate within four years. 

The board will also consider a separate proposal to raise tuition rates by 4% each academic year. 

The hike is part of a tuition review process that happens every four years, according to trustee documents. 

Of the 4% increase, 2% of revenue could go to student success programs established by the Associated Students of UW and administration. The other 2% would go toward salary increases, with mandatory raises for promoted faculty taking priority.

The current estimated cost of attendance for an in-state undergraduate student for the upcoming academic year is $18,682, according to the UW website. The estimated cost for an in-state graduate student is $7,182. The numbers increase to $33,832 and $18,324 respectively for out-of-state students. 

The university has the ability to be flexible with where tuition increases are applied, and they may not impact every area of study, said Board of Trustees Chairman John McKinley. 

Tuition rates change depending on whether classes are undergraduate or graduate and whether they are online or virtual. 

In the past, the university has provided tuition flexibility in the areas of nursing and the law school, he said. 

This time, the final recommendations may include a more “market-based” rate for entrepreneurial programs, McKinley said. 

Trustees will discuss and finalize the possible changes during a meeting scheduled for Nov. 16-18.