(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – The University of Central Missouri is putting a 2.1 percent increase in base resident undergraduate and graduate tuition in preparation for the fall 2018 semester according to a news release sent out by Jeff Murphy, assistant director of University Relations-Media Relations.

This was decided at a board meeting March 16 and is due to an expected $5.4 million cut in state funding for Fiscal year 2019.

The increase is set for planning purposes, though tuition charged beginning in the fall could be less depending on if the legislature reduces the $68 million cut in higher education funding recommended by Gov. Eric Greitens.

According to an email sent out by President Chuck Ambrose, the Missouri House of Representatives approved a deal that essentially restore $68 million in 1 percent cap on tuition increases. The proposal has to be considered by the Senate to keep core funding at the Fiscal Year 18 level.

“If approved, with the 1% tuition cap, UCM would be spared of a net loss in revenue of $3.6 million that would have resulted from the Governor’s proposal to reduce statewide higher education FY 19 funding by %68 million,” Ambrose said in the email.

The increase puts the base rate for in-state undergraduate students at $225.65 per credit hour. In the previous year, this was at $221. The in-state graduate students would pay $298.50 per credit hour. In the previous year, this was at $292.35.

The base tuition for non-resident undergraduate students will be at $451.30 per credit hour and this is up from $442. The tuition for non-resident graduate students will be at $597 per credit hour which is up from $584.70.

The board also approved a 2.4 percent increase in tuition rates for graduate programs at UCM-Lee’s Summit and online courses, so those students will pay $348.50 per credit hour.

Fees were approved in the meeting as well. There will be a $25 per semester-hour program for all undergraduate courses, except for general education, and for graduate course except for computer science, in the College of Health, Science and Technology.

The board also approved a program fee of $25 per credit hour for all upper-level business courses in the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies. Along with those fees, there is also a program fee of $75 per credit hour across all modes of delivery for graduate courses in communication disorders.

The Department of Aviation requested a lab fee for a newly offered 1000-level academic course, AVIA 2345 Glass Cockpits. The course requires students to have four hours of dual flight training. This was set at $800.

“UCM has continually demonstrated its desire to keep college affordable by limiting annual tuition increases below the rate of inflation,” Ambrose said. “Action taken by members of the House demonstrate that they are paying attention to such efforts.”