The price of a WKU education will cost a little bit more next semester.

WKU’s Board of Regents on Friday morning approved a 5 percent tuition increase and a $70 Downing University Center renovation fee at a Special Budget Approval Meeting in the Regents Room on the second floor of Mass Media and Technology Hall.

Tuition and fees for an in-state student will now cost $4,042 per semester.

Billy Stephens, student regent and Student Government Association president, was the only Regent to vote against the increase.

The total budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year is $385,047,000, a 1 percent increase from last year. Of this, more than $164 million comes from tuition and fees.

Ann Mead, vice president for Finance and Administration, said in her presentation that although a 1 percent increase in WKU’s budget isn’t optimal, it is better than what is occurring at universities in other states.

“I believe we probably weather the storm better than most higher education systems,” she said.

President Gary Ransdell said he is proud of the budget that was presented to the board, and said the tuition increases are “modest.”

Look for more coverage later on the tuition spike at wkuherald.com.