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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- College students finding it difficult to pay tuition could find it even slightly harder under the regents' plan to spend $405 million over the next five years to recruit more women and minority students.
The money would come from state funds and tuition.
The proposal envisions college enrollment among 18- to 29-year-olds growing 0.2 percent in 2007 and 0.5 percent in 2008.
"It's a modest proposal," Higher Education Commissioner Richard Kendell said during the regents' meeting at Southern Utah University on Friday.
Officials facing college-enrollment declines are concerned by data that show that 35 percent of Utah's 18- to 24-year-olds attended college in 2004, while a decade ago, 41 percent sought education beyond high school.
Because college graduation rates tend to be lower among women and minorities, it is with those groups that the state hopes to focus recruitment efforts.
University of Utah student Ali Hasnain, who represents students on the 18-member higher education board, urged his colleagues not to rely too heavily on tuition increases to accomplish their goal, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.
In other action, regents elected Bonnie Jean Beesley as vice chairwoman, replacing Jed Pitcher, who is now chairman.
Beesley was appointed to the board in 2003. She served on Salt Lake Community College board of trustees for seven years, including five years as chairwoman.
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
