Meade County, Ky., joined tuition reciprocity in December 2009, making it eligible for in-state tuition at IU Southeast.

Located west of Louisville, Meade County is the fifth county in Kentucky to be included in tuition reciprocity, joining Jefferson, Bullitt, Oldham and Trimble Counties.

The in-state tuition rate for undergraduates at IU Southeast is $180.58 per credit hour, compared to $470.15 for non-residents.

The decision to add Meade County for in-state tuition came from students and community leaders who wanted to attend IU Southeast and be included for tuition reciprocity.

“Students from Meade County who were interested in coming were really the pushers for getting Meade County out of and into the reciprocity agreement,” Erica Walsh, public relations specialist, said.

In order for Meade County to be included for in-state tuition, both Indiana and Kentucky have to create an agreement which allows certain Kentucky students to attend some Indiana institutions for a lower cost and vice versa.

Some of the counties in Indiana who are included in tuition reciprocity with Kentucky are Clark, Floyd, Harrison and Scott Counties.

Gilbert Atnip, vice chancellor of Academic Affairs, said the decision had to go through the state.

“It’s my understanding that a request to add a county to the agreement has to go through the higher education coordinating body at the state level,” Atnip said.

The Indiana and Kentucky agreement for tuition reciprocity presents students with a wider selection when deciding what college to attend. The agreement was last renewed in 2006 and will not be renewed again until 2013.

“The request could come from people in the county or from one of the universities,” Atnip said. “Then it’s up to the two state coordinating bodies to decide whether they will add the county requested. Both have to agree before a county can be added.”

Of the 6,840 students who attend IU Southeast, many are Kentucky students receiving tuition reciprocity. In the fall 2009 semester, there were 2,052 Kentucky students who were taking classes at IU Southeast.

“In fall 2009, we set an enrollment record for the largest reciprocity enrollment in the school’s history,” Walsh said.

In a news release about the addition of Meade County for in-state tuition, Chancellor Sandra Patterson-Randles said she welcomes the new county into tuition reciprocity.

“Encouraging more students to complete a college degree is critical to our region’s success,” Patterson-Randles said in a news release.

Tuition reciprocity also allows some students to attend college out-of-state yet remain near their homes.

“The good thing about tuition reciprocity is it really opens up the opportunity for students in those states to attend college,” Walsh said. “It’s a tough economy so everybody is looking for a good deal, and anytime we can help more students attend college it’s a win-win for the region. It also helps college graduates stay close to home.”

“It’s a win for the students, it’s a win for [IU Southeast], and it’s a win for the entire region,” Walsh said.