Citing inflation, Kansas universities seek largest tuition hike in five years
Kansas’ regents universities are seeking their largest tuition increases in years, breaking a trend of flat and minimal tuition increases in recent years.
Since 2019 Kansas’ public universities, sometimes at the insistence of the Kansas Board of Regents and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, have largely held tuition flat or asked for relatively small increases.
But citing inflation and rising costs to keep qualified faculty on staff, the University of Kansas asked the Kansas Board of Regents Wednesday to approve a 5% across the board tuition hike this year, while Wichita State University sought a 5.9% increase.
Kansas State, Emporia State and Pittsburg State also sought a 5% increase, while Fort Hays State sought a 7% tuition hike.
”We don’t take it lightly when we have to increase tuition,” Wichita State President Richard Muma said. “It really is to make sure we continue to move forward on our priorities.”
The Board of Regents will vote on the tuition and fee proposals next month. But speaking to university leaders Wednesday, the governing board showed support for the proposal.
“If you just took a look at expense levels and you just took a look at inflation everyone would have had a higher increase than was recommended,” said Carl Ice, the vice chair of the board who was appointed by Kelly. “I think they did consider our pillar about affordability and access.”
The tuition hikes came after the Kansas Legislature reduced Kelly’s requested 5% raise for university employees to 2.5% in the annual budget and rejected $21.7 million in additional funds to adjust for inflation.
University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod said the 5% requested increase at KU would only partially cover the costs KU has faced due to inflation, but that university didn’t feel it could raise tuition higher while remaining affordable for students. Since KU last increased tuition, Girod said, inflation has risen more than 20%.
“This is critical to the university to be able to maintain our strategic plan going forward,” Girod said.
If the proposals are approved in-state tuition will increase $252 per semester for undergraduate students at KU and $202 for undergraduate students at WSU.
Jaben Parnell, student body president at Pittsburg State University, said many students view the proposed increases as necessary and understandable.
“It’s something that is very sustainable for the students,” he said.
This story was originally published May 17, 2023 at 4:12 PM.
