Kansas University student senators have laid the groundwork for a campuswide committee to discuss proposed tuition increases.
Senators said they hoped the committee, which would include students, faculty, staff and administrators, would lead to a tuition proposal that pleases all groups.
During a meeting Wednesday night, several senators criticized administrators for not including students in developing a strategy for raising tuition.
"This (committee) is where they should have started at to begin with," said Matt Steppe, the senate's legislative director who was elected to serve on the committee.
Administrators last week told the Kansas Board of Regents they wanted to use increased tuition and state funds to match the average funding level of KU's five peer universities within five years. The plan would require an additional $50 million per year.
KU will make its final proposal for tuition to the Board of Regents in April.
Tuition could rise to as much as $2,880 over the next five years, but would be less if state funding increased. Current in-state tuition for an average student is $2,884 per year.
But Justin Mills, student body president, said Wednesday that the university hadn't justified why the additional money was needed.
"We tend to make this connection between quantity having more stuff and quality how we're really getting better," he said.
Steppe, a junior, said he was confident the committee which also will include senators Dallas Rakestraw, a junior, and Jamel Bell, a graduate student would be accepted by other campus groups.
Senators also plan to begin a campaign to inform students about the issue. Ideas discussed Wednesday include meetings with campus organizations, a new student Web site for tuition issues and distributing fliers on campus.
Jessica Bankston, a senior, said she thought the student-led effort would be received more favorably than the series of meetings held by administrators in December.
"We're much more likely to get students involved in the process if we're initiating it, and not the provost," she said.
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