06/16/11 kb

HAYS, Kan -- Fort Hays State University's recommendation for a tuition increase for the 2011-2012 year has been approved by the Kansas Board of Regents.

"I'm pleased that the Board of Regents has approved our 2011-2012 recommendations," said FHSU President Edward H. Hammond. "Our in-state undergraduate tuition goes from $101.15 to $105.20, an increase of $4.05, which is a 4-percent increase."

With the increase, the tuition cost for a freshman from Kansas taking 15 credit hours at FHSU this coming fall will be $1,578. In comparison, 15 hours at the University of Kansas will cost $4,182 in tuition alone, and at Kansas State University they will cost $3,468.

The total out-of-pocket expense for both tuition and fees for a 15-hour semester at Fort Hays State in the 2011-2012 year will rise by 3.6 percent to $2,041.05. At KU, those hours will cost $4,610.95, an increase of 5.6 percent when accounting for both tuition and fees; and at K-State, $3,828.60, an increase of 3.8 percent.

Total increased cost per credit hour -- tuition and fees -- is $4.67 at FHSU, $9.37 at K-State and $16.30 at KU. The total dollar increase, tuition and fees, for a 15-hour semester: $70.15 at FHSU; $140.60 at K-State; $244.50 at KU.

Tuition proposals approved by the Regents are expected to produce about $26 million in additional revenue for the six state universities to offset $24 million in cuts to operating budgets and increases in health care costs and other mandatory expenses. The increases mean the six Regents universities will receive more revenue from student tuition than they do from state general fund revenues.

"This action by the Board of Regents means that Fort Hays State can continue its tradition of providing high quality education at a reasonable cost," said Hammond. "We are still the best buy in the state."