Most regional universities plan for tuition increase

Tuition will increase this fall at all but one of the institutions in the Regional University System of Oklahoma under fiscal year 2019 budgets approved by the RUSO Board of Regents.

The budgets include increases in tuition and mandatory fees from 3.1 percent to 5.5 percent for five universities.

But Southeastern Oklahoma State University will not raise tuition or fees for the first time since 2009-10 and also is holding the line on room and board with no increases.

“I think this sends a clear message to students and parents that we are doing everything possible to keep college both affordable and accessible,” Southeastern President Sean Burrage said.

Southeastern has seen a significant upswing in online graduate enrollment and student credit hours, Burrage said.

“Our financial condition at Southeastern is healthier today because of our enrollment growth, along with the difficult decisions and sacrifices the university made over the last four years,” he said. Those cost-saving measures include a retirement incentive program, consolidation/elimination of programs that did not directly impact students, conservative operational spending and furlough days

The other budgets approved last week include tuition increases of 3.1 percent at East

Central University, 4.9 percent at Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Southwestern Oklahoma State University, 5 percent at Northeastern State University and 5.5 percent at the University of Central Oklahoma.

“A large chunk will go for tuition waivers for students,” UCO President Don Betz said. He said plans are to increase the amount each year if state funding isn’t reduced. This is the first time in four years the Legislature didn’t cut appropriations to higher education.

Betz said the rest of the increase will pay for fixed cost increases.

The annual cost of tuition and mandatory fees for full-time undergraduate students at RUSO schools is between $6,650 and $7,488.

Mark Stansberry, RUSO board chairman, said regents and the regional universities continually look for ways to keep tuition and fees affordable. He pointed to the recent collaboration between Northwestern, Southeastern and Southwestern on an administration system that will save the universities $2.7 million.

“As the largest university system in Oklahoma, we bear a great

responsibility to ensure that we continue to offer an affordable, quality education,” Stansberry said. “It is crucial to the economic wealth for our college students, their families and for Oklahoma.”

RUSO data show more than half the students at the six universities have a family income less than $40,000. The universities produced nearly 40 percent of the state’s college graduates.

The budgets and tuition rates for all 25 public colleges and universities will be presented Wednesday to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for final approval.