A proposed increase of 2.59 percent to tuition and fees was determined as the one of the final numbers that will be presented to President Allison Garrett for approval during the tuition and fees advisory committee meeting last Thursday. The combined proposal is made up of a 2.53 percent increase to tuition and a 2.78 percent increase to fees.
The committee will meet for a final look at the proposed increase today and the official recommendation will be announced at 11 a.m. Monday in the Skyline room, during the open forum for tuition and fees.
If this recommendation is approved by Garrett and the Kansas Board of Regents, it will result in an overall increase of approximately $91.12 for undergraduate students and approximately $85.59 for graduate students.
Members of the committee determined the floor and the ceiling of the increase, which would allow the university flexibility if the recommendation is not accepted. The lowest possible increase is 1 percent and the highest possible is 3 percent.
“Anything less than a 2.53 percent tuition increase…will not fully cover what we anticipate increased costs to be next year in our fringe benefit rates and for faculty promotion,” said Diana Kuhlmann, vice president of Administration and Finance.
Anything lower than the 2.53 percent for the tuition increase would mean the university is not being fiscally responsible, said Steve Lovett, director of the School of Business Career Services and assistant professor of business.
The floor increase of 1 percent wouldn’t allow to the university to fully pay its bills, but the ceiling would, according to Lovett.
Megan McReynolds, Associated Student Government president and junior sociology major, said that she wanted to set a precedent to start charging students less and wanted the lowest possible increase, to keep the financial burden on students low.
“It’s to set a precedent,” McReynolds said. “I think the increases that have historically been happening, I think that we never consider what it would look like if we charge students less…we hope that the committee reflects and takes action to set an example of trying to charge students less.”
Lovett wanted an increase that wouldn’t put ASG in a position that made them feel as if the cuts to student line items were necessary, although he recognized that the decision was up to ASG, he said. It’s unfair for flexibility in costs to land on the students through proposed line item reductions, Lovett said.
“What I’m adamant about is ASG not feeling as though it’s in a position where it has to decrease,” Lovett said.
As an organizational whole, Lovett did not want to vote on and recommend an amount that would apply pressure on ASG.
“I want ASG to be able to do what it deems necessary for their student government and this (the tuition and fee increase) doesn’t have to be necessarily a brick in its path,” Lovett said.
The committee passed the proposed increase of 2.53 percent for tuition and 2.78 percent for fees, which results in a combined overall increase of 2.59, with eight members in favor, three against and one abstention.
There is a range of 1 percent to 3 percent that will be available for flexibility, if they have to negotiate with KBOR.
