BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) – Tuition is rising at the University of Vermont.

UVM trustees approved a 4 percent hike for next fall on Saturday.

The tuition hike was part of a $213.4 million general budget for fiscal year 2006 that represents a 6 percent increase over this year’s $200.7 million spending plan.

Total student costs will rise more than 4 percent, however. A nearly 14 percent jump in student fees will contribute to a 4.9 percent rise in total expenses for in-state students and a 4.5 percent increase for those from out of state.

Student fees will increase $158 from $1,138 to $1,296, or 13.9 percent. About 95 percent of the increase has been targeted to support the planned student center.

known as the Dudley H. Davis Center.

Of the $1,296 student fee, $375 will go to pay for the student center. The fee is expected to increase eventually to $500.

The 4 percent tuition increase means Vermonters will pay $9,452 per year — $364 more than this year’s base tuition, while out-of-state students will pay $23,638 per year — a $910 increase.

Meanwhile, UVM expects more students, and more diversity, next fall.

The school has received deposits for the fall semester from 2,533 students, a 19 percent increase over the total received by the same time last year. Out-of-state deposits increased 17 percent, to 1,868. Deposits from Vermonters grew 26 percent, to 667.

Deposits from Asian-American, Latino, African-American and Native American students increased 11 percent, to 179, over the same period last year.

About 2,300 students are expected to enroll for the fall. UVM had targeted an incoming class of 2,070.

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Information from: The Burlington Free Press, http:// WWW.BURLINGTONFREEPRESS.COM

AP-ES-05-22-05 1503EDT