Campus Update, May 22, 2026

Good afternoon.

 

I am writing to notify you of some of the outcomes of the meeting of the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees during their meeting on May 20-21 in Harrisburg, Arkansas.

 

Tuition and Fees: UA System schools proposed tuition and fee increases for 2026-27 ranging from .67% to more than 12%. UAFS received permission to increase tuition and fees 3.61% in keeping with the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI). The new tuition and fee rates should be published on our website sometime next week. 

 

Budget: A big thank you to the UAFS Budget Council for recommending a balanced budget through some tough choices. To keep tuition and fees affordable, we had to make some budget reductions and could not automatically give raises to all employees beginning July 1. Our budget was approved by the Board.

 

Sebastian Commons: Trustees approved our proposal to sell Sebastian Commons. We have hired Ghan and Cooper, a highly respected commercial real estate firm, to represent the university in our sale of the property. We will be seeking an excellent partner committed to operating student housing at an affordable rate, and we hope to continue to offer housing scholarships for many students who choose to live in Seb Co in the future. For students who plan to live there for 2026-2027, we have no doubt that a future buyer will be happy to honor the contracts and prices we have already offered to you for next year.  We hope to be able to share more about the implications of this sale in the near future.

 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions.

 

Thank you.

 

Terisa Riley