Special program fees for the College of Law will increase in fall 2004, raising tuition and fees for law students by close to $1,500.
The Arizona Board of Regents approved the increase in a meeting at ASU on Friday.
New students currently pay $5,750 in fees, and continuing students pay $4,250.
The new fees will be in addition to the $5,835 annual in-state tuition. The extra money would be used to pay for many expenses, including the cost of library subscriptions and materials.
ASU policy dictates that fees should not exceed $7,250 total.
"The cost of law library materials has increased exponentially, while the law library budget has remained static," said Chris Baier, assistant dean of Institutional Operations. "The choice was between reduced service and an appeal for increased resources."
The law school's rationale was that it continues to be challenged to maintain a strong competitive program at current funding levels.
In the most recent American Bar Association comparative report, ASU ranked 90th in the country in total expenditures per student.
According to the Internet Legal Resource Guide, ASU ranks 168 out of 173 in tuition amounts. The University of Arizona law school ranks 167, with tuition of $5,843.
The lowest in-state tuition is from the University of North Dakota law school, at $4,826 annually. The highest is from New York University law school, at $33,503 annually.
First-year law student Marki Stewart said she pays about $18,000 per year in out-of-state tuition.
"If students are benefiting from paying so much, it's somewhat justified," she said. "But not if they're just trying to balance the lack of funding on the backs of students."
The ASU College of Law has charged an additional fee since 1993, and classifies it as a "differential registration fee."
In April 2002, the Arizona Board of Regents approved a three-year range, between 2003 and 2006, to further increases of special program fees up to $5,000.
As with previous increases, 15 percent of the fees will be set aside for financial aid for law students.
Reach the reporter at lindsay.butler@asu.edu.
