The Kansas Board of Regents may back away from its decision to require 54 hours of upper-division courses at state universities to qualify for a bachelor’s degree.

Regents on Thursday directed staff members to draft a proposal that would require 45 hours of upper-division credit for bachelor’s degrees. Also, 60 hours would be required from a four-year university.

The proposed change came as good news to Tom Beisecker, Kansas University’s Faculty Council president, who said the 54-hour policy would keep some students in school too long.

“I was really pleased,” he said. “It’s not done yet 54 hours is still on the books, but hopefully the regents will act on it next meeting.”

Regents approved the 54-hour requirement in November, but students and faculty members began protesting the decision this spring. There was no statewide policy before November, but most state universities required 40 hours of upper-division courses.

Some students and faculty said requiring 54 upper-division hours would discourage students from taking a broader range of introductory courses, punish students who switch majors, limit the courses students could take at community colleges and increase the student-to-teacher ratio in junior and senior courses.

Wichita State University’s Faculty Council was the only faculty group to support the 54-hour rule.

Kim Wilcox, executive director of the Board of Regents, said the policy would need to be flexible, with exceptions allowed for some programs and students on a case-by-case basis.