Regents revise policy for charging students with excess credits

SALT LAKE CITY — College and university students who accumulate an excess amount of credit hours may get hit with double tuition following a policy change adopted Friday by the Utah State Board of Regents.

The policy allows for students who accumulate more than 125 percent of the credit hours required for graduation to receive a surcharge equal to double tuition. The excess credit hour threshold was previously set at 135 percent, but officials say the policy was vague and seldom applied.

The policy change was enacted with the goal of incentivizing students to complete their degrees in a timely manner, which the regents say is crucial for Utah to meet its goal of 66 percent of adults in the state holding a post-secondary degree or certificate.

“Excess credit hours is not a problem for the vast majority of students,” Commissioner of Higher Education Dave Buhler said in a prepared statement. “However, the board does want to encourage students to focus their efforts and decide on a major as soon as is practical and then move toward that goal.”

— Benjamin Wood