Florida University Tuitions May Rise 15 Percent

Students at state universities will likely see their tuition jump 15 percent next school year, bringing the 11 institutions' historically low tuition rates more in line with other public universities around the country.

But the Florida Board of Governors must decide what to do about fee increases for some of the universities that could cause total bills to skyrocket.

Tuition is only one part of a student's overall bill and can often be covered by scholarships. But the fees charged for student activities, technology and other items can cause a semester bill to increase exponentially.

"What I hear from students on campus is we nickel and dime them on fees," Judith Solano, a board member and University of North Florida professor, said this week.

Two months ago, the Legislature gave the board the power to approve new fees for students or increase the caps on already existing charges.

The board, however, has not established any rules or regulations for new fees and hopes to do so before giving any university approval to enact them.