OU Board of Regents considering tuition increase, OSU wants no change

NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) — Agendas for the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University Board of Regents meetings on Thursday say OU wants to hike tuition and fees, but OSU wants no change for its students.

Both boards are set to meet on Thursday, with the OSU/A&M Board of Regents meeting in Oklahoma City and the OU Board of Regents meeting in Ardmore.

The OU agenda says the University of Oklahoma is proposing a 3% increase in tuition and mandatory fees for both undergraduate and graduate students. A 5% tuition and mandatory fees increase is proposed for OU College of Law students. A $30/semester fee is also proposed for fraternity and sorority students. The agenda says the university has significantly increased tuition waivers, scholarships, and grants that OU argues have lowered the actual costs for students.

"I just hope they don't do that," said Janice Balkenbush, who News 4 spoke with Wednesday while she visited OU's Norman campus with her undergraduate daughter. "Because it's already a struggle trying to come up with the finances to be able to send her here."

News 4 also spoke with another OU student who said that while he felt for students dealing with financial challenges, and likely wouldn't be able to pay for his studies either without financial aid, it's a tough spot for OU as well in the current economy.

"Obviously, you need to make money to be able to support all your students," said Andres Alejo, a Senior at OU.

In contrast, the agenda for the OSU/A&M Board of Regents meeting Thursday says OSU is not proposing any changes to its current tuition and mandatory fees. If approved, it will be the fourth consecutive year OSU has kept those costs the same.

Governor Kevin Stitt was asked about the upcoming meetings during a June 4 press conference, and where he stood on Regents potentially raising tuition rates.

"My gut feeling is no, we don't need a tuition increase at this point," said Stitt. "I don't think we've gotten all of the efficiency out of our, out of our universities. Look for efficiencies. Look for the professors that maybe aren't teaching as many classes as they should."

The OU Board of Regents meeting on Thursday starts at 8 a.m. in Ardmore at the Noble Research Institute Conference Center Pavilion. The OSU/A&M Board of Regents meeting starts at 2 p.m. on Thursday at OSU-Oklahoma City.