The state Higher Education Coordinating Commission on Thursday approved the University of Oregon’s resident undergraduate tuition plan for the 2019-20 school year. As the state budget for public universities stands currently, the tuition increase would be 6.91 percent. The HECC is required to approve any Oregon university tuition increase of 5 percent or more.

As part of the UO’s tuition plan, President Michael Schill will set aside $350,000 to provide emergency funds to low-income students who do not qualify for the PathwayOregon program.

Last month, the UO Board of Trustees adopted a tuition rate increase indexed to the level of state funding for high education. The Oregon Legislature’s Education Subcommittee of Ways and Means has recommended a higher education budget of $836.9 million, $100 million more than the 2017-19 biennium. Based on the tuition index approved by the UO Board of Trustees, resident undergraduate tuition would increase by 6.91 percent.

“None of us are happy that we will have to raise tuition by over 5 percent this year,” said Jamie Moffitt, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer. “Unfortunately, we had little choice given the current financial situation. It is only through a combination of increased tuition, state funding and budget cuts that we will be able to balance the university budget. While we are grateful to the state for allocating an additional $100 million to fund universities across the state, the investment necessary to keep tuition under 5 percent was $120 million. We will continue to work with lawmakers to advocate for increased funding for higher education.”

The legislature is expected to approve the final Public University Support Fund the week of June 17.