The SIU Board of Trustees will vote at its November meeting to allow high-achieving students to pay in-state tuition after trustees deliberated the topic at the last meeting.

Chancellor Rita Cheng presented the alternate tuition rate to the board Sept. 13 to attract out-of-state students with high academic potential. She said the rate will help keep the university competitive in its recruitment.

The agenda’s proposal states the rate will broaden the university’s reach to different areas. Cheng said these students might have come to SIU without the alternate tuition rate, but they would be lured to other schools.

SIU’s out-of-state tuition is 2.5 times the in-state rate.

If passed, a high-achieving out-of-state undergraduate student for fall 2012 who is enrolled in 15 credit hours would pay $5,763 for tuition and fees compared to the $11,890 they would pay out-of-state.

Since 2009, all undergraduate and graduate students — excluding professional schools and the physician assistant program — in neighboring states Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Arkansas have been able to pay in-state tuition.

If the rate is approved, Cheng said the students would be considered high-achieving based on ACT and SAT scores. She said this could mean more students in the honors program and pre-med program.