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Graduate students also will see a 5 percent increase.
“Even with increased costs due to inflation, we’ve been careful to find efficiencies that enabled us to keep tuition increases to a minimum in recent years,” said Doug Ball, vice president for business, finance, and facilities. “We remain less expensive than most of our peers across the region.”
Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget for FY24 included $1.8 million for need-based financial aid for Pitt State students, which will help offset the tuition and fee increase. Also included is $1 million for the university’s implementation of best practices and support that enables students to persist to graduation.
The university is implementing recommendations set forth by the National Institute for Student Success, which are designed to address barriers to college completion. One example is the university’s new Student Success Center, which includes professional academic advisors, early connections to careers outlooks, and proactive monitoring of student progress.
“Like many other public universities and colleges, only about half of all students make it to the finish line and graduate,” said President Dan Shipp. “We all simply must do better for our students and their families. Whether it’s creating more affordable solutions for students or developing new support programs, at PSU we've clearly made student access and success a top priority.”
After a decade of enrollment decline, the university is making headway in both new student recruitment and student retention, Shipp noted.
“But this headway requires investments that will immediately benefit our students, so they get the most out of their time and treasure at Pitt State,” he said.
Even with a tuition and fee increase, the university is facing an approximately $2 million gap that will require budget reductions and reallocations. The governor’s budget did not include additional funding to combat inflation impacts and it provided limited funding for employee pay increases.
“We all feel the impact of inflation and increased utility costs in our personal lives, and the university is no different,” said Ball. “We will not entirely pass those costs on to our students, and instead will make changes to ensure all resources are aimed at helping them succeed.”
In a personal effort to contribute, Shipp completed an 800-mile, 12-day bike trip across Kansas to raise $8 million for student scholarships and awareness for higher education.
“Our university’s mission is to make life better through education and that is exactly what we are doing each and every day,” said Shipp. “We’re out here living our mission, and we want students and their families, our alumni, and the entire state to see our commitment to reducing barriers and making college more affordable and successful...all for them.”
