ATHENS - Concord University students played Darth Vader's theme song as members of the university's board of governors walked through a crowd of 300 student-protesters last Tuesday.

Wearing red T-shirts and holding signs stating, "If we can't pay, we won't stay" and "Higher education, not higher tuition," the students' message to board members was clear: a proposed 6 percent tuition and fees increase was unacceptable.

By day's end, they thought they had at least partially accomplished their mission.

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Jerry Beasley, president of Concord University, proposed a 6 percent tuition and fee increase to the university’s Board of Governors on Tuesday, but student protests held during the meeting persuaded the board to reduce the increase to 3.7 percent.

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"We were told this year's increase would be as close to zero as possible," said Brian Henderson, business manager for Concord's student government. But the administration then came back with a 6 percent increase, he said.

"We've had the highest freshman requirement last year, but that was slashed by those that we lost because of tuition hikes," Henderson said

Last year's tuition and fee increase of 5 percent brought in $1 million to the university, Henderson said. But the university lost $1.5 million from the students who dropped out, he said.

"It's a vicious cycle," he said. "Less and less students are paying more and more for the same product."

Between 1997 and 2007, tuition and fees at Concord have risen 91 percent, according to a report by the state Higher Education Policy Commission.

"Our students objected to an increase of that magnitude, and I think our board listened very carefully to them," said Concord President Jerry Beasley, who originally proposed the 6 percent increase. "They also listened to some of the options that were proposed to make up the difference because we do need the amount of money that was suggested with the 6 percent increase."

Beasley said the tuition increase would cover the costs of inflation, the rising cost of utilities and Gov. Joe Manchin's proposal for a 3 percent salary increase for state employees.

"Unfortunately, [Manchin's] proposed budget does not provide funds adequate for a 3 percent raise for all employees at Concord," Beasley said in a written statement. "He's roughly $180,000 short; institutional funds will have to make up the difference."

The 3.7 percent will cover the increase to faculty and staff salaries, Beasley said. The university will have to find ways to cut corners, to keep up with inflation and utilities, he said.

Brian Noland, chancellor of the Higher Education Policy Commission, said last week he expects to see universities and colleges across the state raise their tuition and fees by 6 percent to 8 percent for the 2008-09 school year.

ATHENS - Concord University students played Darth Vader's theme song as members of the university's board of governors walked through a crowd of 300 student-protesters last Tuesday.

Wearing red T-shirts and holding signs stating, "If we can't pay, we won't stay" and "Higher education, not higher tuition," the students' message to board members was clear: a proposed 6 percent tuition and fees increase was unacceptable.

By day's end, they thought they had at least partially accomplished their mission.

The board reduced the proposed increase to 3.7 percent.

"We were told this year's increase would be as close to zero as possible," said Brian Henderson, business manager for Concord's student government. But the administration then came back with a 6 percent increase, he said.

"We've had the highest freshman requirement last year, but that was slashed by those that we lost because of tuition hikes," Henderson said

Last year's tuition and fee increase of 5 percent brought in $1 million to the university, Henderson said. But the university lost $1.5 million from the students who dropped out, he said.

"It's a vicious cycle," he said. "Less and less students are paying more and more for the same product."

Between 1997 and 2007, tuition and fees at Concord have risen 91 percent, according to a report by the state Higher Education Policy Commission.

"Our students objected to an increase of that magnitude, and I think our board listened very carefully to them," said Concord President Jerry Beasley, who originally proposed the 6 percent increase. "They also listened to some of the options that were proposed to make up the difference because we do need the amount of money that was suggested with the 6 percent increase."

Beasley said the tuition increase would cover the costs of inflation, the rising cost of utilities and Gov. Joe Manchin's proposal for a 3 percent salary increase for state employees.

"Unfortunately, [Manchin's] proposed budget does not provide funds adequate for a 3 percent raise for all employees at Concord," Beasley said in a written statement. "He's roughly $180,000 short; institutional funds will have to make up the difference."

The 3.7 percent will cover the increase to faculty and staff salaries, Beasley said. The university will have to find ways to cut corners, to keep up with inflation and utilities, he said.

Brian Noland, chancellor of the Higher Education Policy Commission, said last week he expects to see universities and colleges across the state raise their tuition and fees by 6 percent to 8 percent for the 2008-09 school year.

West Virginia University increased its tuition and fees by 8 percent last week.

Noland said inflation and the loss of broad-based funding from the Legislature for higher education are the two main factors for the expected tuition increase.

Of funding that goes to higher-education institutions, about 42 percent comes from the state appropriations and 58 percent comes from student tuition and fees, according to a 2005 Southern Regional Educational Board Factbook.

Concord organized the rally.

The board of governors "understood the value of compromise, and we saved $300,000 for students," said Curtis Kearns, vice president of the university's Student Government Association, which organized the rally.

Despite the reduction, the 3.7 percent hike will still price some students out of Concord next year, Kearns said.

"We put the word out and held our breath if [the students] would respond," Kearns said.  "We knew this would be either a wonderful success or a terrible disaster."

Beasley is set to retire the end of June. Gregory Aloia, dean of the College of Education at Florida Atlantic University, was selected as the university's next president last week.

SGA members urged the HEPC not to approve the university's BOG selection of Aloia last week. They instead endorsed John David Smith, Concord's vice president of student affairs and the runner-up in the presidential search.

Kearns said members of the SGA that opposed Aloia have come to terms with the selection and are looking forward to a future of working with the new president.

Beasley, who has been with the university for 23 years, said, "Concord is ready for new leadership."

"We have the youngest-aged faculty in the state and they need someone who can run fast with them," he said.

To contact staff writer Veronica Nett, use e-mail or call 348-5113.