The Tennessee Tech Board of Trustees approved a roughly 5 percent tuition increase at a special session Wednesday morning.
Dr. Claire Stinson said tuition costs are rising at colleges throughout Tennessee. Stinson said the average tuition increase is $240 per semester for undergraduates and $286 for graduate students. Stinson said maintenance fees will increase by $35 per student.
Trustee Dr. Jeanette Luna said she has heard from students about their concerns.
“The overwhelming thing I took away from that is how difficult this economy is for our students,” Luna said. “And the thing I want to share with them is that it’s difficult on our side too. What they’re seeing in terms of their cost increase, we’re also seeing in terms of our cost increase just simply to run the university.”
Stinson said the price tag is determined in part by state support, attendance costs, and cost mitigation efforts from the university.
Student Trustee Claire Myers said students want more opportunities for scholarships. Myers said other students were blindsided by the increase, and the board needs to help students understand why the decisions are made.
“No one wants to pay more tuition,” Myers said. “But I feel like if [students] see physical things, like ‘Oh! This student lounge was paid for by some of the fee money that I paid into, I like this and it’s a good outcome for me,’ they’d be more in support or more neutral when it comes to different tuition increases.”
In an effort to clear student speculation, Luna said tuition and mandatory fees do not fund athletics.
“Somehow, we need to do a better job of improving the communication about athletics and what value it has to the university,” Luna said. “And making sure that when we have resources, like the foundation, not only are we fundraising for athletics, but also fundraising for additional scholarships.”
The university faces some $7.6 million in cost increases for fiscal year 2025-26. Student tuition increases will cover some $4.2 million of that increase. State appropriation covers $3.1 million, and some $224 thousand will come from other avenues.
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission capped tuition hikes at 6.5 percent for next year.
