When classes begin next fall, students at Oklahoma’s 25 public colleges and universities will be paying more for their college education but it will still be a bargain state regents insist.

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved tuition and mandatory fee increases that will average $430 more across the state system for an undergraduate student taking 30 college credit hours next year and $1,087 for nonresidents.

“Even with the increases in tuition and fees next year, Oklahomans will still be paying less for their college education than their peers in other states, a lot less in many instances,” Chancellor Paul G. Risser said.

“It’s unfortunate that our public colleges and universities have had to request these double-digit increases in their tuition and fee rates, but it is both understandable and necessary if students are to graduate on time and if the quality of education they provide to our students is to remain intact,” he said.

From a local perspective, tuition and mandatory fee increases at Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton, Idabel and McAlester will increase $336 for a 30 hour annual course load beginning in the fall or $94 below the state average. Students enrolling at the state’s comprehensive universities – OU and OSU – resident tuition and fees for a full-time undergraduate students will go up an average of $805. Undergraduate residents attending the state’s regional universities will pay an average of $429 more for their education.

Appropriations for the state system have been reduced by more than $83.3 million since last year, from $851.2 million at the beginning of FY 2003 to $767.9 for FY 2004. Officials expect the tuition and fee increases will generate approximately $71 million for the state system, recouping a portion of what was lost in state appropriations. However, the trend of higher enrollments should continue in 2003-2004, adding to the cost of educating students. Depending on state revenues and enrollment figures, some institutions may still be forced to make reductions in some areas. In addition, rates for property and health insurance, utilities and retirement are going up.

Eastern cut 50 percent of the class offerings for the summer session at the Wilburton campus, McAlester and Idabel in an attempt to keep cost in line with budget allocations. And, some classes originally scheduled for the fall have been eliminated to reduce cost.

Last fall Eastern President Dr. Bill Campion said the college was able to keep budget cuts relatively transparent. But, if revenue continued to decrease, classes would have to be eliminated to meet the budget crisis.

During FY 2002-2003 Eastern lost $352,637 from originally appropriated funds through December with an additional $74,570 in March and state appropriated funds were again reduced for the budget year beginning July 1.

“We have done everything we could to keep from cutting classes. But, as funds continued to decrease we had no choice,” Campion said.

“Eastern was forced to join with other state colleges and increase tuition and fees as well. We were able to keep the tuition increase to only 11 percent for Eastern students,” he said.

Tuition increases across the state ranged from 10 to 23.6 percent. Lower division classes at OSU increased from $2,094 for 30 credit hours in FY 03 to $2,512.50 next fall. Tuition at Eastern for the same 30 resident hours were $1081.50 last year and will be $1200 next fall.

The new rates approved by the State Regents mean that students will be paying one-third of the total cost of their college education, a target that State Regents have been trying to hit for years. Before the increases, Oklahoma students were paying approximately 27.5 percent of the total cost. With the increases, they should be paying approximately 33 percent.

Oklahoma lawmakers granted the State Regents authority to approve resident tuition and fee increases by no more than 7 percent and nonresident by 9 percent in 2001, but it wasn’t until this last legislative session under HB 1748 that they removed those caps. Under the new law, OU and OSU are prohibited from raising tuition and fees no higher than the average of the Big 12 schools. The regional universities and the two-year colleges are allowed to increase tuition and fees no more than the average of their peers in other states. The law also requires institutions to increase the amount of financial aid offered to students from low- and middle-income families.