By Matt Sepic/KWMU
St. Louis – The University of Missouri's Board of Curators has raised tuition nearly 20 percent in response to proposed massive cuts the legislature made in the state's higher education budget.
The nine-member board passed the hike unanimously Thursday at a meeting in St. Louis. Board Member Sean McGinnis said he gave his support to the increase reluctantly.
"What we're doing affects some 60,000 students, and their families," McGinnis said. "And you can call it what you want, but ultimately it's a user tax on our students."
The increase means a student taking a full course load of 15 credit hours will have to pay about $800 extra next year.
Legislators removed $28 million from the university's 2004 appropriation. Curators fear cuts could continue in the future.