FLAGSTAFF ÷ Students will pay $97 more for in-state tuition and $751 more for out-of-state tuition next year, the Arizona Board of Regents decided yesterday.

That increase is less than one-third of the hike proposed by University of Arizona President Peter Likins, and in line with the hike suggested by student governments at Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University.

Resident tuition was increased by 3.9 percent, to a total of $2,508, and nonresident tuition was increased by 7.25 percent, to a total of $11,028.

With added fees, residents will pay $2,583 next year and nonresidents will pay $11,103.

Gov. Jane Dee Hull, who participated the meeting via speakerphone, said it was unfair to ask students to pay for the stateās budget shortfalls and voted in favor of the 4 percent tuition increase for resident students.

The nonresident tuition increase passed 9-1 without discussion. Hull was absent at that point of the meeting. Regent Fred Boice voted against the nonresident tuition because he said he wanted a larger increase.

ćI never would have imagined that the resident tuition (increase) would come in under $100,ä said UA Provost George Davis. ćTo have it come in at $96 is a big surprise, and it makes it hard to plan for next year.ä

Likins said he was hoping to use some of the increased tuition revenue to prevent cutting classes and instructors when deans make their budgets for the year.

In February, administrators asked deans to project what they would do if state funding to the university remained at its current level ÷ about 5 percent less than it started with in the fall.

More than 300 classes and 120 jobs would be cut this fall if deansā projections for another year with a 5 percent smaller budget were approved, Likins told Regents.

Now Likins expects he and other administrators will have to cut somewhere on the order of $28 million university-wide, instead of the $24 million Likins had planned for had larger tuition increases been approved, said Patti Ota, senior associate to the president.

ćThe cuts will be permanent,ä Likins said before the vote on tuition. ćWe will eliminate other programs. We will absolutely destroy parts of this university.ä

Faculty chairman Jory Hancock said he was frustrated by the smaller-than-expected tuition increase. He expects the lack of revenue will take a toll on teachers who feel they donāt have the resources to help students get ready for a job after graduation.

ćWeāre basically being told we wonāt have the resources to be good, and that feels awful,ä Hancock said.

Associated Students of the University of Arizona President Ray Quintero wanted tuition to remain the same next year but said he is satisfied with the rate regents passed.

ćIām pleased with 4 percent,ä Quintero said. ćItās not quite zero, but I think students will be able to cover the cost of inflation,ä he said.

Before tuition was set, Quintero joined student body presidents from ASU West and Northern Arizona University in arguing that raising tuition in response to a budget shortfall was unfair to students.

Regent Jaime Molera, superintendent of public instruction, said he reluctantly favored a 4 percent increase to cover inflation, though heād prefer not to raise tuition.

Molera worked his way through college years ago. He said that because of inadequate financial aid and higher tuition, he is not sure if he would have made it through college as a student today.

NAU student regent Myrina Robinson made the motion to pass 4 percent tuition increase for residents to keep pace with inflation in higher education. It passed by a 6-5 vote.

Last year, resident tuition increased by 6.1 percent and non-resident tuition went up 5.6 percent.

Arizona has the 49th lowest tuition out of the 50 states, according to information provided by the Regents. Non-resident tuition ranks 31st out of the 50 states.

Regents, divided over whether or not to raise tuition by the amount presidents had requested, found consensus in one area: bemoaning the tuition-setting process and the financial position of Arizona universities.

ćThe budget process ÷ I have never thought was fair to the universities,ä Hull said. ćAnd I donāt see things getting much better.ä

The problem, Hull and other Regents agreed, is that the universities are in the 37 percent of the state budget that is not protected from cuts in funding, unlike K-12 schools and other voter-protected programs.

Hull said whenever another institution is added to the list of protected institutions, the universities get shortchanged because the area where cuts can be made is narrowed.

The Regents also raised tuition for several graduate programs without discussion.

Tuition for masterās of business administration degree students will increase by $2,000 for residents and $1,000 for non-residents. Juris doctor degree studentsā tuition will be $500 more next year, and masterās of law degree students will pay $1,500 more.

Nurse practitioner masterās degree students will pay $1,000 more, except for evening and weekend students, whose tuition grew $2,000. Construction Management Program fees will jump by $100.