KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Prices are rising for everything from groceries to gasoline, but the price of attending the University of Tennessee has stayed the same for three consecutive years.
UT System leaders announced there would not be an increase in the price of tuition after their regular Board of Trustees meeting Friday. The school also announced that future, active and retired members of the military will be eligible for in-state tuition regardless of where they live.
"We're going to be defined by who we can include, not who we can exclude, and a big part of that is the financial part," UT President Randy Boyd said. "Tuition has to be first and foremost a priority."
Part of the reason the university's tuition stays the same is because of state funding Boyd said. State lawmakers set aside $210 million in new funding for the university in the latest Tennessee budget. It has helped the university enroll more students during a time when fewer people graduating from high school are considering higher education.
"We're keeping expenses low and getting lots of support from the state," Boyd said. "Those two things in combination have allowed us to buck the trend."
Boyd said the UT System broke enrollment records for 3 years in a row and that this year, UT Knoxville will have double-digit increases in the incoming class of freshmen.
As the university grows in Knoxville, it is also looking for places to expand. One of those options includes the construction of a pedestrian bridge across the river, connecting near Thompson Boling Arena. Boyd said the bridge is still in its concept phase but would allow students to easily walk across the river and enter campus.
Boyd told 10News the school is also planning to build student housing on the South Knoxville side of the bridge, however, bridge construction is not expected to start for another 5 years give or take.
"To be able to connect South Knoxville to the UT campus would be a win for both sides of the river," Boyd said.
President Boyd said the school isn't ready to release the exact number of incoming freshmen but they are certain it will break an all-time record.