The Utah Board of Regents is expected to vote Friday on a statewide tuition hike of 1.5 percent for Utah’s public colleges and universities, according to materials released Monday.



Additional campus-level increases, known as “Tier 2”, are also under consideration, potentially bringing the total hike in tuition next year to 3.9 percent at the University of Utah and Utah State University; 3.5 percent at Dixie State University; and 2.5 percent at Weber State University.

The board is scheduled to meet on Friday in St. George. It is uncommon for tuition hikes to be rejected after agenda materials are prepared by staff of the Utah System of Higher Education.



David Buhler, Utah’s commissioner of higher education, said in a written statement that Regents and campus presidents are working to keep Utah tuition costs as low as possible — without sacrificing quality.



“We are grateful to the state legislature and to Utah’s taxpayers for their continued investment in public higher education,” Buhler said, “which has allowed us to keep the cost of attending college in Utah among the lowest in the nation.”



In yearly dollar figures, the proposed increases range from $50 at Snow College and Salt Lake Community College to $300 at the U. for resident undergraduate students.



Undergraduate students at USU will pay an additional $238 next year, followed by $150 at Dixie, $199 at WSU, $88 at Southern Utah University and $74 at Utah Valley University.

