“By its very nature, a national championship is special,” said Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, who sponsored the resolution. “But to have both men’s and women’s teams from the same school earn the same title in the same year is truly remarkable.” Tiahrt said it was the ninth national title for each of the teams, including back-to-back titles for the men and three titles in the last five years for the women. Tiahrt’s remarks on the floor of Congress can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_WYSqqeDNo

The increase, approved Thursday by the Board of Regents along with tuition jumps for all state universities, is higher than the 6 percent WSU had proposed in May.

With the augmentation, a full-time in-state WSU student will pay $2,248.50 per semester for classes. The automatic scholarship, funded by federal stimuli money, will apply only to in-state students, said WSU President Donald Beggs.

University of Kansas students will pay $3,283.50 for a semester’s tuition, up 6 percent from the current $3,097.50.

KU students enrolling in the school’s compact program which guarantees the same tuition rate over four year will increase to 7 percent to $3,679.50 up from the current $3,438.75

Kansas State University tuition will increase 3.9 percent to $3,093, up from $2,977.05.

Emporia State University has a small raise to $1,713 up 4 percent from this years $1,647 rate.

Pittsburgh State University students will pay $1,826, up 6.8 percent from $1,710.

Fort Hays State University tuition will jump 7.5 percent to $1,473, up from the current $1,370.25 per semester.

Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Democrat, reappointed Tony Madrigal and appointed Vernell Jackson and Tom Winters to the board.

The board manages property and funds the university receives through donations and other means.

Our universities and colleges greatly contribute to the prosperity of Kansas,” Parkinson said. “Administering the resources provided to Wichita State University is crucial to the success of the university, its students and the entire state. I am confident in the board’s abilities and grateful for their dedication.”

Jackson retired more than a year ago as a senior vice president of Administration for Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. He graduated cum laude from WSU with a bachelor’s degree and holds a master’s degree in business management. Jackson is active in the Wichita community as a member of the YMCA Wichita Black Achievers Program and serves on the boards of directors for Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the Wichita Community Foundation.

Winters is a former Sedgwick County Commissioner and has served on several boards, including the Wichita Area Technical College Advisory Board, the Workforce Alliance Board and the Information Network of Kansas Board.

A semester at WSU would cost $2,681.75 — or $139.50 more than the current rate of $2,542.25 — under a proposal presented to the Kansas Board of Regents on Thursday.

The regents, who oversee the state’s colleges and universities, listened to the heads of the six universities pitch their proposed increases; the board will likely vote on the proposals during its June meeting.

Other fee and tuition increases for Kansas students ranged between a $101 jump for Emporia State University students to $206.25 for Kansas University students who enter the compact system where they pay a fixed tuition rate for four years.

For more, read Friday’s Wichita Eagle.

Here are the initial proposals for instate undergraduates:

Wichita State University Current tuition and fees: $2,542.25 Proposed tuition and fees: $2,681.75 Dollar difference: $139.50 Percent increase: 5.5 percent

University of Kansas – standard Current tuition and fees: $3,520.85 Proposed tuition and fees: $3,644.60 Dollar difference: $123.75 Percent increase: 3.5 percent

University of Kansas – compact Current tuition and fees: $3,862.10 Proposed tuition and fees: $4,068.35 Dollar difference: $206.25 Percent increase: 5.3 percent

Kansas State University Current tuition and fees: $3,313.65 Proposed tuition and fees: $3,434.75 Dollar difference: $121.10 Percent increase: 3.7 percent

Emporia State University Current tuition and fees: $2,068 Proposed tuition and fees: $2,169 Dollar difference: $101 Percent increase: 4.9 percent

Pittsburgh State University Current tuition and fees: $2,161 Proposed tuition and fees: $$2,296 Dollar difference: $135 Percent increase: 6.2

Fort Hays State University Current tuition and fees: $1,770 Proposed tuition and fees: $1,881 Dollar difference: $111 Percent increase: 6.3 percent