Tuition increase approved by trustees

On March 25 a 4.5 percent first tier tuition increase was approved for the 2010-2011 school year by the board of trustees. Much lower than the projected 6-10 percent, this increase will bring in an additional $2.2 million for the university.

As one of the fastest growing schools in the state with a current total of 26,322 students the school faces a difficult balance between maintaining a level of quality and keeping the higher education they offer affordable to students.

With the 17 percent budget cut to state funding in the 2009 legislative session and the daunting possibility of a 22 percent cut by July the difference must come from somewhere.

The proposed 6-10 percent increase would have generated an estimated $3,400,000- $5,667,000 for the school with the cost to full time students in the plateau range (12-18 credits) being $104- 173 per semester. The approved 4.5 percent increase will only add an estimated $78 per semester to tuition for students in the plateau range.

However, the board of regents is still considering a 1.5 percent tuition increase on top of the 4.5 added by the trustees, which would bring the total tuition increase to 6 percent or $104 per semester.

Look for final 2010-2011 tuition rates as reviewed and decided by the Board of Regents April 1 and 2.