Alva Review-Courier -

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Board of Regents has approved tuition rates for the state's six universities generally ranging from 2.5 percent to 2.9 percent for the next academic year.

Resident and non-resident, undergraduate and graduate tuition will increase next year 2.5 percent at the University of Kansas; 2.9 percent at Kansas State University; 2.5 percent at Wichita State; 2.7 percent at Emporia State; 2.8 percent at Pittsburg State and 2.9 percent at Fort Hays State, under rates approved Thursday by the regents. Undergraduates at Kansas State Polytechnic will see rates increase 2.9 percent.

The exceptions are a 5.5 percent increase for the compact rate for undergraduates at Kansas, a 5 percent increase at the University of Kansas Medical Center and no increase at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. The compact rate allows incoming freshmen to lock in tuition for four years.

Most of the universities' tuition increases — while smaller, percentage-wise, than last year — were not approved unanimously after some board members expressed concern about the impact on affordability for students, The Lawrence Journal-World reported (http://bit.ly/2rAFGqJ ).

Most undergraduates at Kansas will pay about $120 more per semester in the upcoming academic year. The other increases per semester for undergraduates include $288 for the compact rate; $240 at the Medical Center; $130 for Kansas State; $123 for Kansas State Polytechnic; $80 for Wichita State; $67 for Emporia State; $76 for Pittsburg State and $55 for Fort Hays.

The regents project the increases will bring in about $736 million for the upcoming academic year.

On Wednesday, the regents approved a 2.5 percent pay increase for Emporia State President Allison Garrett and a 2 percent raise for Wichita State President John Bardo.

With the increases, Garrett's salary will be $269,575 and Bardo's will be $364,322, the Journal-World reported.

Board members considered market rates at peer universities as well as performance in the decision, board spokeswoman Breeze Richardson said.

Kansas Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little is retiring and will be replaced by Douglas Girod on July 1. The board has not set Girod's salary, Richardson said. And the board announced Wednesday it is accepting applications for the Fort Hays State president to replace former President Mirta Martin, who resigned in November.

Pittsburg State's President Steve Scott was the only Kansas university CEO to receive a raise last year, of 2 percent.

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Information from: Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World, http://www.ljworld.com