Arkadelphia, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – The Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees approved tuition increases for most of the schools in its system, including A-State, during its Wednesday meeting.
For A-State, tuition increased by 4%. The annualized tuition and fees for Fall 2026 will be $10,850, according to the system, compared to $10,430 in Fall 2025. These figures are for a full-time, in-state undergraduate student, defined as one taking 15 hours per semester, or 30 hours annually.
“Our institutions have made a concerted effort to minimize the increases that they have asked for through this budget request, with the average request across the institution of 2.8% in tuition increases,” said interim system president Dr. Robin Myers.
The Fall 2026 tuition and fee increase percentages for the other schools in the ASU System are listed below.
- ASU Newport – 2.8%
- ASU Mid-South – 0.0%
- ASU Beebe – 3.5%
- ASU Mountain Home – 2.9%
- ASU Three Rivers – 6.6%
- Henderson State University – 0.0%
In other business, the board approved the operating budgets of each of the system’s seven schools. A-State’s operating budget totals $251.4 million, setting aside $202,968,335 for educational and general operations, and $48,397,504 for auxiliary operations. The budget includes a 2% merit raise for faculty and non-classified employees, a 2% increase in graduate assistant stipends, an operating budget for the upcoming College of Veterinary Medicine, and more.
| ADD US ON GOOGLE NEWS: Click here to see more local news from Jonesboro Right Now
The board also approved capital projects across its institution. These projects include the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Windgate Hall of Art and Innovation, the CREST Center, repairs to an expansion of the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at A-State, and the upcoming indoor Baseball Development and Training Center, and “major equipment and IT-related purchases.”
The total project cost is $98,230,044.
As for resolutions specifically geared toward A-State, the board voted to move the Athletic Training Program into the Department of Physical Therapy and to rename the department to the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training. This change will not require financial resources.
“The master’s degree in Athletic Training Program has been without a departmental home since its inception. Consequently, the Program Director and the faculty have reported directly to the Dean. The fields of athletic training and physical therapy frequently operate in the same areas of practice. Therefore, the Department of Physical Therapy presents the most appropriate department in which to house the Athletic Training Program,” the resolution said.
It also voted to rename the boardwalk behind the Judd Hill Center to the John Baine Alumni Boardwalk, in recognition of his philanthropic support for the university. It also approved allowing certain employees to conduct private camps on campus and granting an easement to City Water and Light Jonesboro to build and maintain sewer lines.
The board also approved A-State purchasing property from the Red Wolves Foundation, the charitable arm of A-State Athletics, for $105,000. The property is located at 1908 E. Johnson Ave.
The next Board of Trustees meeting is set for Oct. 16 at 10 a.m. on the A-State campus.
| DAILY BRIEF: Sign up for the Jonesboro Right Now Daily Brief Newsletter
