Missouri may offer in-state tuition to Illinois, Kansas

ROLLA, Mo. -- University of Missouri campuses in Kansas City and St. Louis may soon offer in-state tuition to their neighbors across the state lines.

The university system's board of curators is considering whether to offer the lower rates for some Kansans and Illinoisans.

In Illinois, residents of Jersey, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties would be able to attend the University of Missouri at St. Louis for Missouri rates. In Kansas, residents of Johnson, Leavenworth, Wyandotte and Miami counties would get the same benefit.

A task force of system administrators has studied student fees for the past year, and on Thursday the group formally recommended the plan to the curators. The change, if approved, would begin next fall.

The task force also recommended charging students different amounts to attend different campuses. Currently, the University of Missouri charges the same amount -- $141.50 per credit hour -- at each of its four campuses.

James Cofer, the university's vice president of finance and administration, said the needs of the university's two residential campuses in Columbia and Rolla differ from those of its urban campuses in St. Louis and Kansas City.