Regents Seek Comments on Tuition Increase Proposals

PULLMAN, Wash. — A Web site concerning tuition for the 2007-09 biennium has been created to provide information and gather comments about the tuition plan, scheduled to be considered by the Washington State University Board of Regents at its May 4 meeting.

State law grants authority to the Washington State University Board of Regents to establish tuition rates for all categories of students.  In the just-completed legislative session, the Washington State Legislature passed the 2007-2009 appropriations act with a provision limiting tuition increases for Washington state resident undergraduate students  at both WSU and the University of Washington to 7 percent a year.

The Web site — https://www.regents.wsu.edu/tuition/ — provides information about the tuition proposals in various categories. The WSU administration recommends approval of an increase in rates for both resident and non-resident undergraduates by 7 percent . Seven percent increases are also recommended for graduate students and most professional students. For students in the PharmD program, the recommended increase is 10 percent per year.

Legislative budget writers assumed tuition increases of 7 percent when they set the state budget. Tuition revenue pays for about half of the cost of instruction for undergraduate programs

The Web site also provides a link allowing visitors to offer e-mail comments on the tuition plan. Comments will be shared with the regents before they make their decision on tuition.