Chancellor: Tuition could increase 11 percent at state universities

Wednesday, April 13th 2005, 10:39 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Chancellor Paul Risser[pictured] said state universities will need to raise tuition 11 percent or more this fall unless the Legislature greatly increases its appropriation to higher education.

Risser told lawmakers Tuesday that higher education needs $90 million more or it cannot provide money for expanded research, endowments and scholarships. He said $30 million is needed just to pay rising health insurance costs and utilities.

Students at Oklahoma colleges and universities have had to deal with large increases in tuition and fees each of the past two years. Last fall, tuition and fees increased by an average of 9 percent. In 2003, the average increase was 15 percent. Earlier this month, University of Oklahoma President David Boren said he expects both OU and Oklahoma State University to raise tuition and fees by 10 to 12 percent.

Enrollment at the universities has gone up nearly 15,000 in the past three years, and the schools are trying to make up for 154 lost faculty positions.

The Legislature has already approved a $475 million bond issue to pay for capital improvements at the colleges and universities, but the money will not affect tuition.

Gov. Brad Henry said he wants to ``make sure that any increase in tuition is only a single digit, not a double-digit increase. That's the threat I've heard from the colleges and universities, if they are not adequately funded.''

Risser said Oklahoma spends $1,000 less per college student than the national average. According to state regents, the state spends $5,364 per student. The national average is $6,442.

Risser said he considers the cost to attend college in Oklahoma ``still affordable.'' Tuition and fees at the University of Oklahoma or Oklahoma State University are about $4,100 per school year while regional universities cost about $3,000 per school year and community colleges cost about $2,000 per school year.