Tuition at Mississippi University for Women will be $6,065 beginning next fall, an increase of $284.
The hike comes after the state College Board approved a preliminary plan Thursday that will raise tuition at the state’s eight universities an average of 4.1 percent. The board must vote again later to finalize the increases.
Tuition at Mississippi State University will be $7,780 beginning next fall. MSU has the highest tuition in the eight-school system.
MUW officials say the increase will ensure adequate support for academic program growth, library enhancements and faculty development.
“We greatly appreciate the legislature’s continuing support of higher education, but we know that the increasing costs of maintaining the academic quality for which The W is known will require additional resources,” Jim Borsig, the university’s president, said in a release. “We have held the line on tuition increases and are seeking an increase that will not place an unnecessary burden on our students.”
The increase at MUW is earmarked for needs that include instructional technology, scholarships, retention effort, campus security and other areas, university officials say. Since 2010, the university has seen a 50 percent growth in degrees conferred. In 2015, 860 students graduated — the highest number in MUW’s history.
The tuition hike means the statewide average for two semesters of full-time tuition and fees would rise by an average of $268 to $7,027.
Increases range from 2.5 percent at Alcorn State University to 5 percent at Delta State University.
Tuition would go up another 3.3 percent on average in fall 2017 under plans presented to the board. Universities sometimes change their second-year plans.
The Associated Press Contributed to this report.
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