State universities present mixed tuition and fee proposals; several hold fees flat while some propose targeted program increases

The Board of Regents committee heard tuition and fee presentations from system universities across several hours of testimony and Q&A.

Emporia State University recommended a 0% tuition increase for FY27. Angela Wolgrom, joined by student committee member Oswald Seran, said the university proposes to consolidate several existing student support fees into a single "student success fee," reserving 32% of that fee for facilities and maintenance at the student union and recreation center, eliminate a $20 one‑time degree processing charge and replace it with a small per‑term increase, and keep athletics and ASG fees separate. Emporia cited projected fall headcount growth of roughly 250 students and said operational disciplines and resource alignment would sustain flat tuition in the short term.

Wichita State presented a tuition proposal that would raise overall tuition by 4.9% (combined tuition and mandatory fees of about 3.8%). David Miller and student leaders said the 4.9% would generate roughly $4.6 million but cautioned that state budget reductions and a decline in international enrollment reduced net revenue and required a 7% internal budget reduction. Wichita State also proposed targeted "all‑inclusive" tuition models for certain high‑cost, high‑demand programs — examples given: a two‑year BSN program with total resident tuition of about $29,900, a physician assistant master's at about $67,000, a doctor of physical therapy at about $76,000, and a School of Digital Arts rate of $18,000 per year; existing students would be grandfathered under prior rates.

Fort Hays State described a plan to bring online and on‑campus rates closer together (online +4%, on‑campus +6%) and to align resident graduate tuition with online pricing for consistency. Fort Hays emphasized student involvement in fee decisions and noted an estimated net additional revenue of about $1.8 million after accounting for a conservative 1% enrollment decline.

The University of Kansas presented differentiated increases across campuses (Lawrence undergraduate increases and separate percentages for nonresidents, graduate and medical center cohorts) and several course‑fee adjustments. KU representatives cited state funding cuts (listed during testimony as roughly $4.2 million) and federal grant timing as drivers of their proposals; KU proposed a $21.50 per‑semester increase for student services at the medical center to restore and expand counseling, wellness and interprofessional supports.

Kansas State University outlined campus‑by‑campus proposals (e.g., 4% for Manhattan/online cohorts, larger adjustments where needed to align Salina rates), college fee requests — including a $62/credit‑hour request for the College of Agriculture and an $11 increase for architecture — and a student services fee increase (~4.7%). K‑State stressed a multi‑year budget transformation, one‑time needs for enterprise system replacement, and investments in recruitment and people to cover projected recurring costs.

Student government representatives from several campuses described robust, student‑led deliberations and, in many cases, support for the packaged proposals because of tradeoffs between affordability and restoring student services. Regents asked presenters for enrollment projections, the revenue impact of specific percentage changes (e.g., a 1% tuition change equals a quantified dollar amount at some institutions), and whether proposed increases would be targeted to new students or applied across cohorts.

Next steps: committee members noted these proposals will receive readings at the full Board meeting this afternoon; no final board votes were taken in committee.