Henderson bumps in-state tuition

ARKADELPHIA — Henderson State University’s board of trustees approved an in-state tuition increase on Friday for undergraduate and graduate students.

In-state tuition will increase by $6 from $215 per undergraduate credit hour to $221 for the

2017-18 academic year. Graduate tuition will increase by $7 from $262 per credit hour to $269.

Henderson President Glen Jones said the

2.79-percent increase is the university’s lowest tuition increase in more than a decade. All fees for students will remain flat except for the Athletics Fee, which will increase by $0.50 from

$17.25 per credit hour to $17.75 to accommodate increased participation levels and scholarship equivalencies.

The board approved sharp decreases in outof-state tuition in an effort to become more competitive in other markets. Out-of-state undergraduate tuition decreased from $443 per credit hour to $276. Tuition for out-of-state graduate students decreased from $537 per credit hour to $336.

“Affordable tuition is an important consideration for most of the students we serve,” Jones said. “We are committed to providing our students value for their tuition dollars and we are investing these funds strategically to benefit them.”

Changes in campus food services are meant to allow Henderson to maintain its same dining charges for students with increases in its quality.

“The operating budget includes allocations that better align resources with strategic priorities for the state and Henderson’s strategic plan,” said Brett Powell, vice president for finance and administration. “Among these are aviation and engineering faculty positions and positions related