The Kansas Board of Regents this week will receive updates on progress at the KU Medical Center and Cancer Center.

The reports will be given Wednesday at the School of Nursing Building at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan.

On Wednesday, the board also will receive proposed housing and food service rate increases submitted by the state universities. A final decision on those rates is scheduled for December.

At KU, room and board for a traditional arrangement of two residents per room and a typical meal plan would cost $7,896 for 2014-15, which is $194, or 2.5 percent more than the current rate.

And the board on Wednesday will appoint a committee and consultant to work on replacing Fort Hays State President Ed Hammond, who will retire at the end of the academic year after 27 years as president.

On Thursday, the regents will meet at the Kansas State University Olathe campus where they will receive an update on the campus.

The board also will discuss the recent budget tour by legislators to the campuses. During those visits, Republican legislative leaders said they wanted to see higher graduation rates and expressed concerns about rising tuition and student debt.

During the last legislative session, Republicans cut funding to higher education by $33 million over two years. The regents want those cuts restored in the 2014 session that starts in January.

Total state funding for higher education is approximately $751 million for the current fiscal year, which is more than $100 million less than the highest funding level from 2008.