Ashland University will see a tuition increase next year, but administrators are assuring that it will be small compared to past increases and those seen at other universities.

University Provost Dr. Frank Pettigrew said that tuition for next year will increase by 4 percent, but the cost of room and board will be unaffected. Director of Financial Aid Stephen Howell said that overall, there will be a combined increase of 3.23 percent for what students will have to pay.

“It’s the lowest percentage we’ve had in 30 years, maybe ever,” Pettigrew said.

Howell said that for tuition, room and board, students will have to pay $37,932 overall compared to $36,744 last year, resulting in a $1,188 increase reflected from the 3.23 percent increase.

“We were pleased that we were able to limit it to that low of an increase,” Howell said.

Pettigrew said that while this increase will prompt more money from students, it is the lowest increase that they could come up with, as Ashland sees an impending student body of 2,600-2,700 students.

“We’re trying to raise enough dollars to keep the University moving forward,” Pettigrew said.

Several factors were taken into consideration when calculating the tuition increase, Pettigrew said.

Such factors include the rising costs of utilities, including fuel for heat and air conditioning, and the need to hire more faculty members to accommodate the increasing student body.

Pettigrew said that efforts are being made to hire 10 new faculty members for the Schar College of Nursing, College of Arts and Sciences, and Schar College of Education. The Dauch College of Business and Economics would see four new faculty members, as it is soon up for accreditation.

Pettigrew also said that half of the tuition increase will go back into financial aid, which will include scholarships and financial gifts.

University Vice President of Business Affairs Jim Kirtland said that from the increased tuition, $1.7 million will go towards increasing financial aid. Kirtland said that financial aid will draw the most from this tuition rise.

Howell said that for returning students, a total of $900,000 will go towards increasing the number of merit awards and employment opportunities, such as resident assistant positions and internships. For incoming students, various need based awards will be reevaluated and adjusted to reflect the rising tuition costs.

Pettigrew said that he and other administrators are trying to keeps student costs down as much as possible while working to support the university and its academic programs.

Besides being at its lowest in at least three decades, the tuition increase will also be very competitive against increases seen at other schools.

“You may see 3 percent as a negative, but we see it as the lowest increase of any tuition around,” Pettigrew said.

He noted that Ashland ranks in the middle of 30 to 40 comparable institutions, with some school seeing 4 to 5 percent increases and some facing percentage increases in the double digits.