BY RAEGAN NEUFELD
Fort Hays State University is proposing a $9.68 per credit hour increase next year for in-state undergraduate tuition due to inflation and several other factors.
University President Tisa Mason announced the proposal on Thursday at the last Student Government Association meeting of the year. She discussed each of the reasons for the increase. These include inflation, increasing the student employee starting wage to $10.00 an hour, funding wages for employees who are paid below market, funding a 2.5 percent raise for employees and eliminating the $50 commencement fee.
“We’re still going to have the lowest tuition compared to all the Kansas Board of Regents universities and we will continue to aggressively scholarship our students,” Mason said.
Although the increase is set for $9.68 per credit hour, the net total increase will actually end up being $6.34. With $6 million from the state legislature to pay off part of the Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success, student fees will be reduced by $4.00 per credit hour. However, an inflationary increase of $0.66 per credit hour to student fees –as discussed last week– makes the final amount $6.34.
The proposal has to go back to the university’s budget committee and be approved before Mason can present it to KBOR later this month. Then, KBOR would vote on the proposal in June. Mason said she is confident it will be approved. The only reason the university did not raise tuition by a smaller amount last year was because Gov. Laura Kelly froze tuition for all state universities.
“(KBOR) knows the reality of inflation, and the board’s initial hint to us is that this is appropriate at this time,” Mason said. “We did ask for inflationary dollars from the legislature to help reduce this, and they would not award it. Had we gotten that money, that would have put us in a different position, but I feel pretty comfortable.”
Mason also thanked the senators and executive staff members for their time in SGA this year.
“Your weekly meetings and all the work that you do in between has been very much appreciated by the university,” she said. “We’re really grateful for your service, and for the fact that Fort Hays State University is your institution.”
University Vice President for Student Affairs Joey Linn also announced a change for next year at the meeting. Chartwells, the dining services provider used by the university, ended their contract based on costs. The change is effective July 1. According to Linn, they are still in the process of finding a new provider.
“If you signed a housing contract for next year, everything’s going to remain pretty much the same as far as the meal plan options and that sort of thing,” he said. “We’re going to do an emergency one-year plan and then do the full request for proposals.”
After one year, the university plans to have a long-term contract with whichever provider they choose.
Current SGA President Ryan Stanley and Vice President Austin Ruff each spoke about their experience this year, and gave words of encouragement to their predecessors, current Legislative Affairs Director Ella Burrows and Community Relations Director Emma Day.
“I’m super excited for both of you guys; you’re going to do really great things this next year,” Stanley said.
Burrows and Day also got the chance to speak about their plans for next year.
“We are excited to build on President Stanley and Vice President Ruff’s accomplishments of this year as we work to make FHSU more sustainable, inclusive and accessible,” Burrows said.
SGA will reconvene in the fall after the start of the next semester.