Marie Hull says she is pretty sure her scholarships and parents’ savings will be enough to cover her four years as a Jayhawk at Kansas University.

But it would be nice to know for sure.

In 2007, incoming freshmen likely will have a much better idea of how much it will take to pay for their schooling than Hull will when she begins school in the fall. University leaders are drafting a plan that would lock in tuition rates for four years for freshmen, giving families a new planning tool in paying for the increasing costs of college.

“I think especially if money’s really an issue for you, it would really help you budget,” said Hull, who graduated Sunday from Free State High School.

The “guaranteed tuition” plan, also called a “tuition contract” at some other schools, is part of KU’s planning for university budgeting after the current five-year tuition plan expires in spring 2007.

The current plan, which hit its midway point this school year, is expected to more than double tuition to more than $5,500 by fall 2006. The additional money is paying for a variety of campus improvements, including additional faculty, technology and library enhancements, and pay raises for student employees, graduate teaching assistants, faculty and staff.

While they’re working out the details on the final two years of the plan, KU officials already are looking to the future. They will float the concept of tuition contracts to the Kansas Board of Regents on Thursday in Topeka.

The idea first was proposed to KU administrators last year by Steve Munch, a junior whose term as student body president ended last month.

Current student leaders plan to continue pushing for the guarantee.

Hull

“I think it’s going to be very beneficial to students, just letting them know how much they’ll pay when they’re coming to school,” said Marynell Jones, a junior and student body vice president. “Students will know how much they’ll have to pay, so they won’t be priced out of an education.”

Planning ahead

In the end, students wouldn’t end up paying less for college. Rather, the university would average the projected total cost of college and charge that amount over four years.

“It’s not going to save anyone anything,” said Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett, senior vice provost. “But parents will know what they’ll pay for four years instead of finding out junior year that tuition is going to go up significantly.”

Because rates would be locked in for only four years, the plan could aid in increasing KU’s four-year graduation rate, which has become a major focus for the university in recent years, she said.

6News video: KU asks for another tuition increase KU tuition increases draw little protest 6News video: KU tuition plan improves campus life (05-15-05) KU touts results of tuition increase (05-15-05)

Lindy Eakin, vice provost for finance and administration, said he expected each year’s tuition rates to increase between 4 and 5 percent starting in fall 2007 — far less than the 16 to 25 percent seen the last four years.

“Clearly, that has been an aggressive plan over the five years,” Eakin said. “We’re not talking about those kinds of rates after this.”

Eakin and others are continuing to finalize the details of the plan. But plans call for “differential tuition” — the additional rates set by individual schools — to be left out of guaranteed tuition. And a separate tuition structure will be developed for transfer students, and their tuition will not be locked in over time.

Illinois experience

KU leaders are modeling their plan on a similar, statewide program in Illinois, which is completing its first year. The plan was mandated by the Illinois General Assembly.

Tom Eakman, executive assistant vice president for academic affairs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said his campus’ tuition contract assumes a 5 percent increase in tuition over each of the students’ four years. He said he thought the guarantee was popular among families.

“It does protect parents and students against an unusual spike in tuition,” he said.

Eakman said the downside, from the university’s perspective, is that it requires extensive long-term planning for administrators and eliminates the possibility for a large, one-time tuition increase to counteract a cut in state funds.

The plan does have its detractors in Illinois. Josh Rohrscheib, co-president of the University of Illinois’ Student Senate, said he thought the guarantee could end up being a bad deal for students.

“These plans are very good politically,” Rohrscheib said. “They sound great. Students and families aren’t surprised by tuition raises year to year.

“But as a matter of policy, I think it’s very dangerous. Inevitably what happens, you’re overbilling or underbilling students, with the idea that over time that will level out.”

New wave?

Christopher Morphew, an associate professor of education at KU, is among those who think guaranteed tuition isn’t a good idea. He said the plan is “anti-intellectual” in that students should learn to plan for inflationary costs.

He also said KU’s planning would have to be impeccable to prevent large correctional tuition increases.

“The next cohort might have to pay for the mistakes with the first cohort,” he said. “I don’t see what it gets you. I don’t see the upside.”

Despite the concerns, Dick Bond, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents, said he anticipated a warm welcome among regents for guaranteed tuition.

“I like the concept,” he said. “I think it makes real sense for families and students to be able to plan because (college) is, for most families, a really big financial obligation.”

When word gets out about the plan, Bond said, he expected political pressures to convince some of the other five regents universities to follow suit.

“I’ve got to think if KU does this,” he said, “it may well force other regents institutions to do the same.”