Business students at the University of Nevada, Reno, may see an additional fee added to their accounts as soon as next year.

In an email sent out by the Dean of the College of Business, Gregory Mosier, and Business Student Council President, Gabrielle Lew, the proposed fee increase will go to the design and construction of a new business building. The fee will be similar to the fees paid engineering students in upper division courses.  

“The current funding proposal includes a total differential fee of $80-85 per credit hour on upper division business classes and is equal to what Engineering students are currently paying,” the email read. “The  proposed fee is divided into several stages of implementation that include $35 per credit hour starting next year for design of the building ($5) and programmatic development such as new and additional course offerings ($30) and then the additional $50/CH starting fall, 2023 just for the building.” 

The email further said the proposed fee increase was evaluated by students, but the department will hold discussions with students to allow for input. 

The new building would be located on the block south of the corner of Center St. and Ninth St., according to the email. The business complex has an estimated cost of $99.7 million and would feature a center for entrepreneurship, the Nevada Small Business Development Center, classrooms and labs for students to use. 

A new business building has been in talks since early 2018, when the university proposed moving the 12 historic homes of the Gateway District south of campus. While several of the homes did get relocated, the remaining were approved by the Nevada System of Higher Education to get demolished.

Alongside the business building in the Gateway District would be a life sciences building and parking garage.

Olivia Ali and Andrew Mendez can be reached at oali@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush