Proposed tuition hikes at Kansas universities could go even higher before next school year

Kansas public university students are likely to pay more to attend college next year.

The Kansas Board of Regents, which governs the state’s six universities, last week received proposed tuition hikes from each of the public four-year institutions.

But because of decreases in state funding to higher education, the board later said tuition could rise even more.

Proposed tuition increases ranged from about 4 percent to 5 percent.

At the University of Kansas, tuition, not including required fees, would go up 4 percent, from $4,561.50 a semester this year to $4,743.75. That’s a $182.25 increase.

Tuition for KU students paying on the school’s compact program, which freezes tuition for incoming freshman for four years, would increase 5 percent from $4,945.50 paid this year to $5,193, a $247.50 increase.

The five other schools would see a 5 percent increase in tuition. At Kansas State University, undergraduate Kansas residents would see tuition raised from $4,258.50 to $4,471.50, a $213 increase.

But on Wednesday regents received notice from Gov. Sam Brownback that the state’s entire public higher education system would get a 4 percent allotment, reducing the state appropriations for fiscal year 2017, which begins July 1, by more than $30.6 million.

In a statement following a Wednesday board meeting where the proposed tuition hikes were announced, regents officials said the 2017 state appropriations would be 8.6 percent less than the allocation for 2008.

“State funding for higher education has decreased by nearly $100 million since 2007-2008,” the statement said.

University officials arrived at their proposed tuition hikes assuming a 3 percent budget cut. Given the latest news of a 4 percent cut in state funding for higher education, regents said, adjustments to the proposed tuition hikes could change before the board votes next month.

This story was originally published May 19, 2016 at 1:14 PM with the headline "Proposed tuition hikes at Kansas universities could go even higher before next school year."