The cost of a degree from a university in Mississippi is increasing, yet again. MPB's Ashley Norwood reports.
The eight public universities in Mississippi are increasing tuition by an average of 4 percent next fall. The Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees approved changes this week at its monthly meeting in Jackson.
University of Mississippi Chancellor Jeff Vitter says his institution is still reeling from cuts two years ago and he says expenses continue to rise.
"We're dealing with a lot of costs that increase each year that we are obligated to cover such as insurance and other liabilities. Those amount to roughly $8 million dollars," said Vitter.
LaCurtis Powell is a senior at Jackson State University. Part of his tuition is covered by scholarships and the rest he is working to pay off. He says the tuition increase could make it more difficult to avoid debt.
"It definitely was alarming. A lot of students were not okay with it cause a lot of us is already like kind of suffering from tuition as a result already so, with the increase its kind of like hey we need to look for any other means to get some more money whether it's scholarships or some other types of funding," said Powell.
IHL Commissioner Glenn Boyce says the cost of tuition in Mississippi is among the lowest in the nation.
"If you just look at the states that are touching us, Alabama's average tuition is $9,543 dollars at their public institutions. Now that's a 29 percent higher tuition rate for a state who sits right there at our border," said Boyce.
Tuition makes up more than half of the budget at Mississippi public universities. Ashley Norwood, MPB News.
