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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Board of Regents is expected to approve a 3 percent tuition increase Friday for Utah's colleges and universities.
If approved, next year's tuition increase will be the lowest Utah has seen in 15 years, according to a Utah System of Higher Education memorandum.
"Our institution presidents and board of regents have worked pretty hard to keep college affordable for Utahns," said Melanie Heath, spokeswoman for the Utah System of Higher Education. "We have the third-lowest tuition rates for four-year colleges in the nation, which is pretty remarkable."
Utah's tuition rates also remain consistently below those of comparable institutions in other Western states, Heath said.
But students will still feel the rise in costs next year.
On average, the increase would cost resident undergraduates an extra $140 and $166 for graduate students in the 2015-16 school year. Nonresident tuition would increase by an average of $487 for undergraduates and $543 for graduate students.
It's definitely frustrating because that right there is a text book, or part of a text book anyway.
–Makenzie Hawkins, a graduate student at the U.
Makenzie Hawkins, a graduate student at the U., said she understands the need for better faculty compensation, but the extra $140 most students would have to pay will be burdensome.
"It's definitely frustrating because that right there is a text book, or part of a text book anyway," Hawkins said.
In the past 10 years, nonresident undergraduate tuition in Utah has gone up by an average of $2,064, about 45 percent.
"We're never comfortable with increasing student tuition. We are definitely sensitive to tuition increases and putting new funding on the backs of our students," said Tim Vitale, spokesman for Utah State University. "But we do have institutional needs."
Most of the new tuition dollars would contribute to a 2 percent salary raise for higher education instructors approved by the Legislature this year. State dollars will make up 75 percent of the wage increase, and institutions must provide the other 25 percent through tuition, according to Heath.
The system also recommended an extra 0.5 percent increase specific to the U. School officials say those funds will be used to bring in more academic advisers, increase flexibility in online coursework and provide more support for graduate students.
Resident undergraduate tuition at the University of Utah would reach $7,130 per year with the increase.
"We're cognizant that every dollar amount that hits students is hard on them, but we also want to balance the quality of the education that they're getting," said Cathy Anderson, associate vice president of budget and planning at the U.
Anderson said the compensation and wage increases for faculty and staff will help institutions hire and retain quality faculty, leading to better instruction for students.
"Our faculty … and the research they do tie into the teaching they do in they classroom, opportunities for students interacting with those faculty members to help improve their education," she said. "There is a definite direct result there."
Hawkins, however, said she hasn't seen a significant change in the quality of instruction, even though tuition has increased by double-digit rates since she began college.
"They keep increasing tuition, but the value of the education we're getting isn't increasing," she said. "My mom went to medical school in the '70s and paid less than I did to get my undergraduate degree. But it's not like I got a better education than she did for what I paid."
Student fees are also expected to rise by an average of 3.3 percent. That includes a 12.5 percent increase — about $116 — at USU for its new Student Recreation and Wellness Center, which is expected to open in August.
Dixie State University's fees will increase by 7.6 percent — $50 — mostly to support athletics programs and the construction of a new Human Performance Center.
