Kansas regents weigh higher college tuition increases

With the state’s current budget year ending on June 30, Kansas is looking at shuffling funds within state government to cover a projected short-term, $45 million deficit, Brownback aide Eileen Hawley said earlier this month. That’s one percent higher than the school sought last month.

“I hate that we have to raise tuition at all”, Bill Feuerborn said.

“I feel like students already pay a lot to get their education and it is pretty essential nowadays to get a good education to have a nice job so the extra money, is just a burden on every student”, said Rhodes.

The regents took no action on a WSU proposal to offer in-state tuition to students from the Missouri side of the Kansas City area, a policy Bardo said would improve the university’s recruitment efforts in the I-35 corridor.

Wednesday’s action by the regents was expected to produce roughly $36.2 million more in revenue for the universities than previous year, the board said.

Voting against the tuition increase as part of the $1.94 billion budget included Regents Denise Ilitch, Andrew Richner and Andrea Fischer Newman. The rising costs of utilities, health insurance and other needs, and the pressure to stay competitive to offer quality education repeatedly surfaced in statements to the Regents and media.

Joseph Shepard, student government president at Wichita State, said he thinks the increased tuition will have an adverse affect on student enrollment. “We really do strive hard to keep the cost affordable to students”.

Jessica Van Ranken, student body president at Kansas State University, said the increases are unfortunate but necessary when state funding falls short.

The new rate means that UM students will pay $13,856 in tuition and fees next year. “And that just seems to be a trend that’s not reversing”, says Regent Chairman Shane Bangerter from Dodge City.

Out-of-state students will see a larger increase of 4.4 percent while most graduate and professional programs will see an increase of 3.9 percent.

“We’ve crossed the border now where more of the burden is on the student than on the state”.