Kansas universities propose tuition hikes amid governor’s higher-ed cuts

Public universities across the state are requesting increases in student tuition and fees to counter cuts signed into the budget by Gov. Sam Brownback.

The move reflects the increasing shift of college costs to students and away from the state.

Brownback’s cuts announced Wednesday total roughly $30.7 million for the regents system. The biggest hits will come to Kansas State ($7 million) and the University of Kansas ($10.7 million), which are both getting the largest cuts at 5.1 percent each.

Other universities will receive cuts between 2.7 and 3.8 percent.

Meanwhile, all the universities are requesting tuition and fee hikes between 3.9 and 5 percent.

All six of the universities requested greater tuition and fee increases this year than last year, according to Kansas Board of Regents documents.

Wichita State has requested a 5 percent increase across the board. The change would increase tuition to $212.84 per credit hour for undergraduate residents and to $287.39 for graduate residents.

Last year, WSU students faced a 3.6 percent increase. Students in engineering and health professions – who make up about one-third of WSU’s student population – paid even more from new program fees.

Here are the proposed changes by school.

Wichita State

Cuts: 3.8 percent, or roughly $2.8 million

Proposed tuition and fees: 5 percent increase for all students

Undergraduate resident rates: $3,192.60 based on 15 credit hours

Graduate resident rates: $3,448.68 based on 12 credit hours

Fort Hays State University

Cuts: 3.1 percent, or roughly $1 million

Proposed tuition and fees: 5 percent across the board

Undergraduate resident rates: $1,876.50 based on 15 credit hours

Graduate resident rates: $2,274 based on 12 credit hours

Emporia State University

Cuts: 2.7 percent, or $855,204

Proposed tuition and fees: Increase 3.94 percent for undergraduate residents, 4.04 percent for graduate residents

Undergraduate residents: $2,422.75 flat semester rate

Graduate residents: $2,934 for 12-hour semester

University of Kansas

Cuts: $7 million for KU, $3.7 million for KU Medical Center

Proposed tuition and fees: Half of returning students will see no increase, due to the tuition compact under which students pay higher tuition during the freshman year with the promise tuition will not go up. All students on standard rates will receive a 4 percent increase, first-time freshmen will see a 5 percent increase in tuition over last year’s compact rates, medical students will see a 5 percent increase

(Compact) Undergraduate resident: $5,193 based on 15 credit hours

(Standard) Undergraduate resident: $4,743.75 based on 15 credit hours

Graduate resident: $4,695 based on 12 credit hours

KU Med students resident: $17,689.46

Kansas State University

Cuts: $5.2 million for KSU, $509,000 for KSU Veterinary Medical Center, $1.3 million KSU-Extension Systems & Agricultural Research Program

Proposed tuition and fees: 5 percent across the board, except veterinary medicine students will receive only 3 percent increases

Undergraduate resident rates: $4,471.50 based on 15 credit hours

Graduate resident rates: $4797.60 based on 12 credit hours

Pittsburg State University

Cuts: 2.8 percent, or roughly $1 million

Proposed tuition and fees: 5 percent increase for resident students, 3.3/3.8 percent increase for nonresidents

Undergraduate resident rates: $2,685 flat semester rate

Graduate resident rates: $3,094 flat semester rate

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 8:01 PM with the headline "Kansas universities propose tuition hikes amid governor’s higher-ed cuts."