State universities won’t hike tuition for Kansas undergrads
(AP) State universities will not be increasing tuition this fall for undergraduate students from Kansas.
But the state Board of Regents on Wednesday approved tuition increases for some Kansas graduate students and out-of-state undergraduate and graduate students.
The regents considered tuition proposals after the Legislature increased state funding for their operations by $38 million for the 2019-20 school year, or nearly 6.5%. Some lawmakers said they expected the universities not to increase tuition in return.
Pittsburg State University was did not recommend a tuition increase for the 2019-20 school year.
Board of Regents members said they focused on helping undergraduates from Kansas the most and believe that they sent a clear message to lawmakers that they’re holding the line on tuition.
All graduate students at the University of Kansas will see their tuition rise by 2.5% and at Kansas State University, by 1.5%.
Below is a press release from Pittsburg State University:
The Kansas Board of Regents approved today a request by PSU President Steve Scott that undergraduate students see no tuition increase for the coming academic year.
“We’re sensitive to the challenges faced by students and families, and we’re doing all we can to remove the cost barrier to earning a college degree,” said Scott. “Over a lifetime, a college graduate earns around $1 million more than a non-graduate, and our goal is to ensure everyone in our region has that opportunity.”
Full-time in-state undergraduate tuition will remain at $2,847 per semester. Pittsburg State already has flat-rate tuition, which allows full-time students to enroll in additional credit hours without paying additional tuition.
“Because of that opportunity, it’s not unusual for our students to earn a double major or gradate up to a year early,” Scott noted. “This is a huge cost advantage for any full-time student.”
Scott said it was the Legislature’s recent move to begin to reinvest in higher education that prompted the University’s zero percent tuition increase.
“We’re deeply appreciative of the Legislature’s hard work in that area,” Scott said. “And at the same time we are committed to continuing our own efforts to operate efficiently and find savings where we can, and pass those savings along to students and families.”
Governor Laura Kelly recently approved a partial restoration of funding for higher education in Kansas, which includes $2.1 million for Pittsburg State University.
In addition, the University’s Gorilla Advantage program will grow in fall 2020 from its existing portions of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri to include every county in those states. This extends the in-state tuition opportunity to far more students in the region.