JACKSON Tenn.
The Tennessee Board of Regents Finance Committee voted unanimously Thursday to approve a 6 percent tuition increase.
The full board will vote on the proposal Friday. If approved, the system of six universities, 13 two-year colleges and 26 technology centers will join the University of Tennessee, whose Board of Trustees last week approved a 6 percent increase for its institutions.
Last year tuition was increased by 4.1 percent, but Bob Adams, Board of Regents vice chancellor for business and finance, said he thinks tuition in Tennessee is still a bargain.
“We certainly don’t want to increase tuition any, but just to ensure that we keep a quality product and hire the caliber of faculty that we want to, it takes additional funds,” he said.
The increase will raise undergraduate tuition at most four-year Regents universities to more than $2,500 per semester, while University of Memphis tuition will be over $2,700, according to figures on college Web sites. Rates are lower at community colleges.
Chattanooga State sophomore Aaron Ledwell, 22, said any tuition increase is difficult.
