The University of Alaska Board of Regents struck down a tuition hike Friday that would have upped student costs by 4 percent for the 2015-16 academic year, according to a statement from the university.
UA President Pat Gamble had proposed the increase, saying it would help address future funding shortfalls. This year, UA faces a $26 million budget gap driven by trimmed state funding and increased fixed costs, said the statement.
If the regents had voted to move forward with Gamble's proposal, undergraduate courses would have cost $6 to $8 more per credit, the statement said. According to the regent's agenda, the tuition hike would have affected undergraduate, graduate, resident and nonresident students.
In total, the tuition increase would have funneled an additional $4 million into the university system next fiscal year, the statement said.
Ultimately, the regents voted 7-4 to reject the tuition change.
"With the vote, the current tuition rates will remain in effect for the next academic year," the statement said.
Dealing with a budget gap and bracing for big campus layoffs, Gamble fell into the spotlight this year after he was offered a $320,000 retention bonus. Gamble asked regents to reconsider the bonus and on Monday they voted 9-1 to rescind the offer.