University of Tennessee Board of Trustees Approves Tuition Increase

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees voted to approve the first tuition increase in four years as part of the university’s budget, in addition to several changes.

University officials said the board of trustees approved a tuition increase of 2 percent for in-state students and 4 percent for out-of-state students, which will take effect in fall 2024.

This is the first tuition increase for the university since the 2019-2020 academic year.

“We have worked hard to keep tuition stable for many years and have absorbed costs during this time, including increases for hourly workers and faculty,” said Chancellor Donde Ploughman. “We also created the Division of Student Success, which has been extremely successful and has resulted in a 91.1% retention rate for fall 2023. A modest tuition increase is necessary as costs continue to rise to provide high-quality educational programs and a meaningful student experience.”

Officials said the tuition increase would support institutional scholarships, expanded academic offerings and student services, and additional capacity for instructional programs.

Additionally, council approved two mandatory fee increases, namely the $60 technology fee and the $40 transportation fee. Technology fees will support the need for hybrid and fully remote computing capabilities and the number of devices using bandwidth on campus, and transportation fees will fund additional routes and buses for the T Transportation System.

There will also be a $44 increase in online fees, which officials say will improve the online learning experience by creating the infrastructure needed to provide targeted success coaches for each online learner and will increase chances of retention and graduation.

The board also voted on other items, including changes to the guaranteed admissions policy, naming the College of Music the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music, allowing the university to “enter into multiple lease agreements to improve student experience and support enrollment growth, research and industry collaboration” and digital learning.

The board also voted to approve honorary degrees awarded to Lamar Alexander and Rita Geier.