The University of Missouri System will raise tuition on its four campuses 1.7 percent for fiscal 2014, the Board of Curators announced Jan. 31.
Tuition rates will take effect with the 2013 summer session.
Rhonda Gibler, MU budget director, said Wednesday her office has been preparing budget models since last fall based on a 2 percent tutition hike. “The reduction to 1.7 percent reduced our projected tuition and fee revenue for fiscal 2014 by about $1 million,” Gibler said.
The less-than-projected tuition rise means MU has to “dig a little deeper to balance the budget,” Gibler said.
On average, the UM System has raised tuition the past five years 2.3 percent annually, compared to 6 percent by comparable institutions in surrounding states, MU System President Tim Wolfe told curators Jan. 31.
Wayne Goode, chair of the Board of Curators, said that setting tuition cost is a “balance between keeping education affordable for our students and providing the resources necessary for the university to remain a quality academic institution.”
On Jan. 28, Gov. Jay Nixon recommended in his 2014 state budget $34 million to all Missouri colleges and universities. The UM System could receive additional funding up to $16.9 million.
Nixon announced Monday the release of $8.5 million for Missouri higher education for the remainder of fiscal 2013. From those funds, MU could receive an extra $4 million toward its 2013 budget, which runs through June 30.
In other curator news, the state Senate confirmed Ann Covington of Columbia and John Phillips of Kansas City as the newest Board of Curators members.