State Regents approve tuition increases at Oklahoma's colleges and universities

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved Thursday mandatory fee and tuition hikes for Oklahoma's public colleges and universities. <br/><br/>Full-time residents can

Friday, July 1st 2005, 6:37 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved Thursday mandatory fee and tuition hikes for Oklahoma's public colleges and universities.

Full-time residents can expect to pay on average an additional $195 per year, while the rise for non-residents averages $516 more per year.

Higher education officials blame record enrollments, steep increases in employee health insurance and operational costs and faculty pay for the rise.

``These increases will allow our institutions to properly serve their students next year and remain competitive with other colleges around the nation in retaining and hiring quality faculty,'' said Regent Chancellor Paul G. Risser in a news release.

Risser said the $72.3 million increase in state appropriations for fiscal year 2006 prevented a double-digit increase for many institutions.

University of Oklahoma students will pay 6.5 percent more, or a total of $4,408 for 30 credit hours, and those at Oklahoma State University will see a 7.2 percent jump for a total of $4,365.

The Regents also approved an increase of $25.2 million in financial aid as part of the nearly $1.7 billion operating budget. In addition, institutional budgets increased $127 million or 9.1 percent to $1.5 billion.

Some concerns over next year's budget stemmed from the new revenue streams the lottery and gaming are supposed to provide, a total of $34.5 million.

``There's a certain unpredictability about them,'' said Ben Hardcastle, director of communications for the Oklahoma State Regents.

If the expected funds do not come through, the Regents will have to ask the Legislature for supplemental appropriations next spring, Hardcastle said.