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LIVINGSTON, Alabama—The University of West Alabama’s proposal to freeze tuition for the sixth consecutive year has been approved by its board of trustees. The decision comes as part of the board’s approval of the school’s operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year, and this reaffirms UWA’s various rankings as one of the best values of any university in the state.

The tuition freeze is part of the University’s commitment to helping students stay on a successful path, and administrators expect a positive impact on both student recruitment and retention.

The decision comes at a time when the cost of living is at the forefront of students’ and parents’ minds, and administrators say this step is as critical as ever in demonstrating UWA’s commitment to providing an affordable education while effectively managing resources.

“We want to make a high-quality educational experience as affordable as possible and for as many students as possible,” said UWA President Ken Tucker. “As a public institution, we also have an obligation to operate as efficiently and responsibly as we can, and we believe that we’ve outlined a budget that will meet all of these needs.”

Tucker noted that continued unpredictability and challenges loom for most higher education institutions, but that UWA is committed to keeping students on track in their educational pursuits despite the economic woes that students and their families inevitably face as inflation continues.

“We strive to manage a budget that puts as little financial burden as necessary on students and their families.” Tucker explained “We want our students to reap the positive results of our work toward maximizing operational efficiency, expense reduction strategies, and revenue enhancement initiatives.”

The tuition freeze is part of the fiscal year 2023-2024 budget approved by the UWA Board of Trustees on June 5. The $92.2 million budget represents operations and maintenance, auxiliary, and restricted funds.