The University of Arizona has proposed a 2 percent increase in tuition and no increase in mandatory fees for all entering undergraduate students. The majority of current UA students will see no increase because their tuition and fees previously were frozen under the UA's Guaranteed Tuition Plan. 

University priorities to be addressed by the new funding include expanded mental health services, greater efficiencies in financial aid operations, an increase in child care subsidies for students and an annual merit-based salary increase for faculty and staff. 

"The tuition proposal represents the collaborative work of University, faculty and student leaders in crafting a plan that addresses the shared highest priorities," said  UA President Robert C. Robbins. "We've kept the tuition increase as modest as possible and we will continue to pursue operational efficiencies to fund the initiatives identified in our next strategic plan." 

For all entering resident and nonresident, undergraduate and graduate students in 2018-2019, the UA has proposed a tuition increase of 2 percent and no increase for mandatory fees, which works out to a 1.8 percent increase for combined tuition and fees. 

Incoming resident undergraduate students will pay $12,447 and new nonresident undergraduate students will pay $36,346. Students and their families have said the Guaranteed Tuition Plan encourages on-time graduation and helps with financial planning and college completion. 

All resident graduate students will pay $12,980 and nonresident graduate students will pay $33,329. Mandatory fees for all incoming graduate students will be frozen under the Guaranteed Tuition Plan. Continuing graduate students' mandatory fees also are frozen. 

UAOnline rates will increase $10 per unit, establishing new rate tiers of $500, $525 and $560. This is the first time a rate increase has been proposed since UAOnline was launched in 2015. 

The UA tuition-proposal process includes the student leaders of the undergraduate and graduate student governments working over several months with the provost, chief financial officer, associate vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, chief budget officer and faculty representatives. 

"The tuition and fees discussions were a great dialogue between students and administrators. Students and administration were able to work together to create a tuition proposal that was both a win-win for the students and the University," said Matt Lubisich, president of the UA's student government. 

The Arizona Board of Regents has scheduled a livestreamed public hearing for 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 27, to discuss the tuition recommendations made by the three state universities. The UA main campus site will be in Old Main, and the UA South at Sierra Vista site will be in the Academic Technology Building, B153. 

On Thursday, March 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Arizona Board of Regents will host a tuition workshop where the university presidents will present their proposals in person. The meeting will be held at the ASU Memorial Union, Turquoise Room, and will be livestreamed. 

On Thursday, April 5, at 10:30 a.m., the Arizona Board of Regents will vote on tuition and fees at their meeting in Tucson. The meeting will be livestreamed.