Ellington

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Trustees of Mississippi's eight public universities are giving final approval for tuition increases next fall.

The College Board discussed the plan in April and voted for a required second time Thursday without making any changes.

Tuition will increase by an average of 4 percent next fall.

Presidents say lingering effects from state budget cuts two years ago require them to raise more revenue from students.

The statewide average for two semesters of full-time tuition and fees will rise by an average of $303 to $7,805. That's for an in-state undergraduate.

Increases range from 5.6 percent at Delta State University to 2 percent at Mississippi Valley State University.

Most students pay less than the sticker price, but costs continue rising faster than incomes. Sixty percent of Mississippi students graduate with debt.