YUMA - For the fifth year in a row, UA President Peter Likins will propose raising tuition by 10 percent or more for in-state students, he said outside an Arizona Board of Regents meeting yesterday.

Likins did not give many clues to what he plans to suggest for out-of-state tuition next year, except to say he is comparing the University of Arizona's price tag to that of other universities.

Likins did not specify how much of a tuition increase he will seek, but said he will make his recommendation for a "double digit" increase in tuition rates on April 5. A 10 percent increase would raise tuition by about $250, to more than $2,700.

The board of regents will make the final decision about tuition at an April 25-26 meeting at Northern Arizona University.

Though Likins has asked for what he called rather large tuition increases for the past five years, the regents have always pared down his requests.

Regents are holding a public meeting on tuition March 30 at 5 p.m. in Harvill Building, Room 211. Another forum on tuition will follow on April 16 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the same room.

The Arizona Students' Association, a student lobbyist group, will likely propose on April 8 to keep tuition unchanged.

UA is raising out-of-state admissions standards for next year to prevent overcrowding.

Vice President for Undergraduate Education Randy Richardson raised the minimum required GPA for out-of-state applicants from 2.5 to 2.9, which will prevent about 200 freshmen from enrolling next fall.

UA stands to lose about $9.7 million in tuition dollars from the out-of-state students, possibly more depending on what tuition rates become in the upcoming years.

However, tightening admissions standards was necessary to ensure space for in-state students in classrooms and residence halls, Richardson said. This year, applications are up by 20 percent between prospective out-of-state and in-state students.

"I look at this as a one-time decision based on the number of applicants we had," Richardson said.

The minimum GPA for in-state admission will likely remain unchanged because any changes would affect all Arizona universities and would require approval from the board of regents.

Regents confirmed Richardson's appointment to the vice president for undergraduate education position yesterday, seating him long-term in a position he has filled on an interim basis for the past two years.

Provost George Davis appointed Richardson to the position in February.

At the meeting yesterday, regents also unanimously approved a plan that would allow unlimited UA pay raises to be based on merit.

Members of the Faculty Senate and Staff Advisory Council have recently stated opposition to merit-based bonuses, saying they prefer raises be distributed equally.