Mississippi News Nonprofit Tuition may rise again for students entering Mississippi’s public universities in the 2019 academic year. On Thursday, the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning approved a tuition increase of 4 percent (or about $309) for public universities. After a 30-day review period, the final vote can be taken on the increase. According to IHL, tuition increases could vary from $128 at Mississippi Valley State University up to $406 at The University of Southern Mississippi. Mark E. Keenum of Mississippi State University stated that increasing tuition wouldn’t be necessary if the state funded their universities at the same level they did in fiscal 2016, to be able cover inflation costs and give raises. Keenum stated that “Obviously, we did not receive these type of increases.” “We didn’t get cut, and that is a blessing… but it did require us to do a modest rise in our tuition.” Keenum stated that two of the 10 past budget cycles did not include any budget cuts through the fiscal year. Keenum stated that it has been a constant struggle not only for Mississippi State but for all our institutions. William LaForge, president at Delta State University, said that the state’s universities and those in Delta State’s athletic conference often receive $2,000 more in tuition and state support. The average tuition increase at eight universities was 6.6% last academic year. IHL estimates that tuition fees make up 67 percent of the overall budget for a public university, while state appropriations account for 24 percent. LaForge stated, “We’re doing much with less.” “We are doing a lot right at the moment and managing limited resources. … We are unable compete with other state universities and keep top faculty without a raise. We have not been able to attract new faculty to our campuses. “We haven’t had any pay increases at Delta State for three years.” IHL points out that even if the 2019 tuition rate is increased to $7,318 from $7.626, Mississippi students will still be paying less than students from neighboring states. In fiscal 2017, tuitions ranged between $7,596 and $9,201. In a statement, Dr. Glenn Boyce (IHL commissioner for higher education) stated that universities must have the resources to offer quality programs, faculty and services. The tuition rates are more important than state funding for public universities in the state. According to the Hechinger Report, Mississippi’s public universities rely more on tuition revenues than state and local funding.