Residence hall dwellers and medical students will be writing larger checks to the UA next year because regents unanimously approved increases in residence hall rent and medical school tuition yesterday.

Residence hall and leased apartment rates will go up by an average of 7 percent, or $255, starting next fall. Gila and Yuma hall rates will increase the most, by 9 percent, or $314, bringing the annual amount to $3,793.

Jim Van Arsdel, director of Residence Life, said last week that the money will go toward renovation, operational expenses, debt service and employee-related expenses.

Medical students will have to pay $1,262 more in tuition next fall, bringing total tuition to $12,830.

The 10.9 percent tuition jump will mostly go toward curriculum reform and faculty development, said Chris Leadem, senior associate dean for admissions and student affairs at the College of Medicine. "We're using it to benefit students."

A maximum of $2,846 would have been permitted in accordance with the college's tuition-setting policy.

Since 1992, tuition has been set at the top of the bottom third for public colleges of medicine.

Leadem said declining state support around the country has caused the national rate to increase.

Ray Woosley, vice president of the Arizona Health Sciences Center, said the lower number was chosen to avoid sending medical school students further into debt.

The average medical student graduates with $100,000 of debt, Woosley said. Because of the burden, graduates seek profitable jobs in urban areas, staying away from research and work in rural communities, he said.

"The worst thing we can do is turn out indebted service," he said.

The UA College of Medicine is one of two public medical schools nationwide that don't accept nonresident students. Woosley said although higher out-of-state tuition might help with expenses, serving nonresidents would go against the college's mission. The college is the only public medical school in the state.

"Our obligation is to train students from the state who are also more likely to stay in the state," Woosley said. "We have plenty of good applicants from Arizona."