The Slippery Rock University Council of Trustees voted 6-5 in favor of a 2% tuition increase for the 2022-23 school year at its meeting Friday morning.

The increase was discussed at length during the council's meeting Thursday afternoon at the university's student center. Various school officials, including President William Behre, defended the increase as a way to avoid cutting services at the institution.

Behre said the institution would have had to consider which programs were nonessential had the council denied the increase.

“We'd have to look at things that are important that we value deeply that we could be rid of and still be SRU,” Behre said at the meeting Thursday. “Possibly, we backtrack financial aid to what it was when I started. It would not be an SRU I would want to be president of.”

Before the vote on Friday, council of trustees member Jeff Smith offered his view on the increase during discussion. He said he understands the financial constraints the university is facing, but it should instead go to the state legislature for answers on the rise in higher education pricing, instead of asking students to make up the deficit.

“The easy answer is to raise tuition and kick the can down the road,” Smith said. “The hard decision, the courageous decision, is to say no to this increase and turn to the legislature and say, 'What are you going to do to address this issue?'

“Sooner or later, we are going to have to do this. It might as well be now.”

Smith urged fellow council members to vote no and contact local legislators.

“The students shouldn't be the ones to make up the difference,” Smith said.

Council member Robert S. Taylor agreed with Smith, and said he'd vote against the increase. “The kids deserve better; the parents deserve better,” Taylor said. “I'm gonna be a no vote. I agree with (Smith). I think we have enough in the reserves to cover this year.”

The motion to approve the tuition increase carried with six votes in favor and five opposed.

The next council of trustees meetings will be held March 3 and 4.