I just graduated from a mid-size university in the midwest. Engineering students pay $300-$500 per year (based on engineering credit hours) for "tech fee" which gets us unlimited printing and lab access basically. Open labs are virtually nonexistent with the exception of 2 small 24-hour labs around the printers. Engineers have 24-hour swipe card access, but other majors do not. It is not especially known for research, but about half of the professors are actively performing research and most are willing to talk to you about anything.