Student costs rise at most colleges State regents approve tuition, fees

Langston University students can expect to see a few new items on their student bills when they return to campus in the fall.

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved a round of tuition and fee increases at state colleges and universities at a meeting Thursday.

Langston undergraduate students will see the largest increase in tuition and mandatory fees, with a price hike of nearly $393 for 30 credit hours. That represents a 9.1 percent increase over the previous fiscal year.

That increase is driven by a $240, or 19.1 percent, uptick in mandatory fees over last year. According to Langston’s budget proposal, that increase includes two new fees: a career services fee and a counseling fee. Both fees come to $60 for students carrying 30 credit hours.

The university’s academic records fee tripled, climbing from $30 to $90 for 30 credit hours. Langston’s student activity fee climbed $60 for 30 credit hours, increasing from $225 to $285.

Students at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma will see the second-largest increase. Regents approved a 7.2 percent increase in tuition and fees for in-state undergraduates at USAO. That increase is driven by a 9.2 percent increase in undergraduate in-state tuition. USAO students won’t see an increase in mandatory fees.

OU, OSU won’t rise

In-state undergraduates at Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma won’t see an increase in tuition and mandatory fees.

Regents approved OU’s bid to implement a flatrate tuition plan for undergraduate students. Under the plan, students taking 12 or more hours per semester would pay a single flat rate for tuition and mandatory fees. That rate would be based on the current cost for 30 hours per academic year.

During a meeting Wednesday, OU President David Boren said the plan could save OU students and their families thousands of dollars by encouraging them to graduate earlier.

Most degree programs at the university require 120 credit hours to graduate, he said, meaning a student who takes 30 hours per year would be on track to graduate in four years. A student who takes five years to graduate would spend about $13,000 more in tuition, fees and living expenses, Boren said.