Students attending Cameron University this fall will see changes to the overall cost of going to college, but many of the changes will be ones they should like. Housing rates for students who choose to live on campus will remain unchanged from last year. Cameron also plans to reduce or eliminate some of its academic services fees for 2020-2021. Meal plans will increase only slightly.
The new room and board rates were approved Thursday by the Board of Regents for the University of Oklahoma, Cameron University and Rogers State and will go into effect at the start of the fall semester.
“Cameron is firmly committed to keeping a college education reasonably priced, and that includes our students who live on campus,” said John McArthur, president of the university. “Cameron is already the most affordable option in Oklahoma for anyone pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree. The changes approved today by our regents only improve that value.”
Housing rates for the 2021-2022 academic year in both Shepler Center residence halls and Cameron Village apartments will remain the same as last year, with plans starting at $1,155 per semester. All semester rates include unlimited laundry, cable television and internet, as well as membership in the Residence Hall Association. Cameron’s student housing rates are lower than those for similar facilities at peer institutions, making CU a sound financial choice.
Residential meal plans for 2021-2022 were increased 4 percent, and will start as low as $1,150 per semester. Although Cameron’s cost to provide food service increases between 2 and 8 percent each year, this is only the second time in the past five years that it has increased the cost of student meal plans.
Students who live on campus are required to have a meal plan, but plans are also available for commuter students and start as low as $72 per semester. All plans have a variety of options to meet individual needs. The meal plans ensure CU students have access to balanced and nutritional meals during the semester.
The average rate for room and board at Cameron University during the 2021-2022 academic year is nearly 56 percent below the national average of $11,620 for public four-year institutions as reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics. Cameron students continue to pay less than most students at comparable universities in the state and significantly less than the national average, providing significant savings and value.
Regents endorsed the elimination of the university’s interactive video fee and a reduction in the online course fee from $50 to $40 per credit hour. Changes to technology, in addition to the increased volume of students taking online courses during the COVID-19 pandemic, made the changes possible. Final approval of the fees will be considered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education when they meet this spring.
The university will no longer charge students a parking permit fee this fall, although students will still need to register their vehicles for security purposes. Non-residential students currently pay $30 per semester or $50 per year for permits, while those who live on-campus are allowed to park free at residence halls. With the change, CU students will receive one free parking pass and can purchase additional passes for $50 per year.
Regents also endorsed a change in the fee that gives students access to the campus wellness center, increasing it from $35 per semester to $50. The center provides students on the Lawton campus with access to short-term physical and mental health care. The change resulted from increased expenses, expanded services and heavier demand related to the pandemic.