July 8-9, 1999

ITEM 104-104-R0799 Board of Regents Policy and Procedures Manual; Financial Affairs Section 940.27: (Revision) (Credit Cap on State-Subsidized Tuition Rates.)

Board Policy:

1. The Montana University System limits the number of undergraduate hours a resident can accumulate at state-subsidized tuition rates. After the limit has been exceeded, the student will be charged the full cost of education for additional undergraduate hours until a baccalaureate degree is awarded.

2. Students entering the Montana University System or the three publicly supported community colleges of Montana will be limited to 170 hours of subsidized undergraduate tuition. Courses attempted prior to the Fall Semester of 1991, credits earned in high school Advanced Placement programs or any program of challenge exams, or credits transferred from out-of-state or private institutions, shall not be counted in the 170 credit limit.

Procedure:

1. Subsidized tuition rates will no longer be available to residents of Montana once they reach the limit outlined above. A student will be billed at the unsubsidized tuition rate beginning with the semester immediately following the semester in which the student attempts his or her 170th credit hour. When applied, the unsubsidized tuition rate shall not apply to those attempted credit hours falling within the range of credit hours (the "flat spot") for which a student is not charged additional tuition in any event, according to an individual institution�s published tuition schedule.

2. The subsidized tuition limits will be based on all attempted credits that are graded, including courses for which failing, passing, or withdrawal grades are assigned. Each campus will develop a warning process that, at an appropriate time, will notify students they are approaching the limit for subsidized courses. Appeals should be handled through the normal campus, university, and system processes; however, it is assumed that appeals will be granted only in unusual circumstances. Students actively enrolled in five-year programs approved by the Board of Regents will not be covered under this policy.

It is anticipated that some appeals will need to be granted to students in extreme cases where personal circumstances necessitate a student�s complete withdrawal from the university.

Personal Extenuating Circumstances: Appeals should be granted only to students in extreme cases where personal extenuating circumstances, such as severe personal, medical or family problems, necessitate a student's complete withdrawal from the university. A student may petition for waiver of the credits withdrawn in such circumstances. Other withdrawals will be counted toward the limit.

3. In order to ensure consistency in the implementation of this policy, each campus will report to the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education through the president of the university at the end of each academic year the number of appeals filed and granted, along with a summary of the reasons for granting the appeals.

Definitions:

Courses attempted means those courses for which a student has received a grade.

Student means resident student.

History:

Item 78-001-R0393, Tuition; Montana University System, May 3, 1993 as revised March 29, 1996, January 23, 1997, and March 25, 1999.