Bacone College associate professor of mathematics Linda Strange demonstrates a math problem during an algebra class. (Courtesy, Muskogee Phoenix)

Students can expect to pay at least 4 percent more when they go to college this fall.

Oklahoma colleges and universities are raising their tuition, fees or both for the coming school year. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education recently approved modest tuition and fee increases for Oklahoma’s 25 public colleges and universities.

Tuition and mandatory fees will increase an average of 5.1 percent statewide for the 2011 academic year. Oklahoma public colleges and universities are expected to receive 3.3 percent less in state aid for 2011.

Private institutions, such as Bacone College also announced tuition and fee increases.

Full-time students at Bacone can expect to pay about $200 more per semester because of a 4.1 percent increase in tuition and fees, said Eugene Blankenship, Bacone’s assistant vice president for institutional advancement. Bacone offers course packages of 12 or 17 credit hours instead of charging students by the hour, he said. He said the increase will help the school enhance student services and technology.

“It’s not anything big, especially compared to other private universities,” Blankenship said. “It still costs less to go to Bacone than any other university.”

Jana Henry, 21, a sophomore from Salina, said she does not mind the increase “as long as they keep up with my athletic scholarship.”

Muskogee senior Shay Perez, 38, asked if the school will improve technology with the increase.

“That’s exactly what it’s for,” Blankenship said.

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http://muskogeephoenix.com/local/x383294842/Up-up-and-away