Tuition at Emporia State University will be going up by 9.5 percent, the sharpest increase of the six state universities.
Even with the hike, ESU’s undergraduate tuition and fees are still among the lowest in the state. The in-state student rate of $1,963 is cheaper than everyone but Fort Hays State University while the $5,988 paid by out-of-state students is higher than both Fort Hays and Pittsburg State University.
The increases were approved by the Kansas Board of Regents on Thursday.
ESU President Mike Lane said more than half of the increase would be used to keep three staff members that are currently grant-funded and would otherwise have to be cut. One percentage point will go to scholarships. Much of the rest will be used to raise staff and faculty salaries — which works out to 4 percent overall, though individual increases will vary — and to raise starting salaries so that ESU can be more competitive.
“We’ve had several situations in the last year, in fields such as special education, where candidates have turned us down because we haven’t been able to offer enough money,” Lane said.
More than half of ESU’s budget comes from tuition. Lane said the vast majority of students receive some sort of financial aid, especially as any student with an ACT score of 21 or higher is eligible for a scholarship.
ESU’s new undergraduate rates represent a $170 increase since last year for in-state students and a $519 increase for out-of-state. Graduate students are seeing a similar increase, with in-state students charged $2,277 (a 9.4 percent increase) and out-of-state students charged $6,093 (a 9.6 percent increase).
The highest undergraduate tuition and fees of the six state universities will be at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. KU will charge $3,299 for in-state students and $8,053 for out-of-state students. It also received permission from the Board of Regents for a “four-year tuition compact” that locks in the rates for first-time freshmen for the next four years.
“Innovative cost-containment proposals such as KU’s tuition compact are certainly refreshing,” said Christine Downey-Schmidt, the new chair of the board of regents, in a press release. “I’m anxious to see how students benefit from this plan in the coming years.”
Fort Hays had the lowest increase for in-state undergrads at 5.1 percent. Wichita State University had the lowest out-of-state undergraduate tuition increase at 2.4 percent.
“It’s important to note that a state university education in Kansas remains a great buy when compared to neighboring states,” outgoing chair Nelson Galle said in a press release. “Tuition rates at our state’s universities continue to provide Kansans with an exceptional educational value.”
A recent survey by the board of regents found that students at ESU, Fort Hays and Pittsburg State — the three regional universities — paid 23 percent less than residents in neighboring states paid to attend similar schools. Students at KU, Kansas State University and Wichita State University — the three research universities — paid 15 percent less than neighboring states according to the study.
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cyberspace (anonymous) says...
We welcomed you to town like royalty Mr Lane. You literally had the red carpet rolled out for you. I don't ever recall such a celebration anywhere I've been. For what? You hadn't done anything yet! Shouldn't the celebrating be done after you have accomplished something? So, one of your first actions is to oversee the largest tuition increase in the state.
You can try to put lipstick on a pig to make it look better to the public but in the end it is still a pig. These facts and figures comparing ESU's tuition to area and regional schools won't help ease the burden on students and families who will have to anty up even more of their money. It is exasperating and depressing. It occurs at a time when money to assist these students is getting more difficult to get. And if you do take out a loan, our legislators have decided that you can't get a break by at least decreasing interest on loans available and are cutting money to help fund education. Very short-sighted thinking. Our future lies with educating our young.
These teachers that have refused to come to ESU because we don't pay enough need to be reminded that teaching is a vocation as well as a profession. When you decide to pursue a vocational career, you sometimes give up some financial gain. Maybe you drive a Toyota instead of a Lexus.
It used to be most teachers drived Chevys, not Cadillacs. I see a lot more Cadillac types around campus.
With this rate hike you could have at least announced, as KU did that this rate would be good for a four year period.
But you are probably working on next year's excuses for a rate hike already.
We need you all to start thinking of some creative ideas that will make college more affordable, not just rate hikes every year.
June 30, 2007 at 8:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
Dear Cyberspace:
You do understand . Please remember it is about staff not students. Why not have a community coillege here too? At least the first two years would be less $$$.
June 30, 2007 at 11:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )