Topeka ? State higher education officials Thursday directed universities to propose tuition rate requests covering a two-year period.

Rates now are set annually.

Under the directive from the Kansas Board of Regents, universities will provide a tuition rate request for the fiscal year starting July 1 and a “soft” tuition rate for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2014.

The “soft” tuition rate request could be modified by the regents at the request of an institution in the spring of 2014.

Regent Kenny Wilk of Lansing started discussion of a two-year tuition rate request, saying it could improve long-term planning and coincide with Gov. Sam Brownback’s decision to propose a two-year state budget.