At a meeting in Portland today, members of the Higher Education Board’s Finance and Administration committee agreed to submit a budget proposal to the Oregon University System that includes 4.8 percent tuition increases across the state system and a 4.5 percent tuition increase for the University of Oregon.

The proposed increase for 2013-2014 comes after 6 percent increases over the 2012-2013 school year, and 7.5 percent over 2011-2012 according to a press release from the Oregon University System. Should the increases be imposed by the OUS, total UO student fees will increase an additional 1.3 percent over tuition, causing the total student cost to rise to take on a 5.8 percent increase from the current academic year.

Incoming ASUO President Sam Dotters-Katz, who attended the meeting in Portland in order to testify in favor of the proposed tuition increase, views the proposal as the best possible situation for UO students. In a leadership position, he says, it’s never easy to support recommendations that have the potential to negatively impact the his constituents, however in light of the possible outcomes, raising tuition seemed like the lesser of two evils.

“To be clear, these are hard decisions to make. I certainly would not tell you today that any increase in costs make it easier to afford higher education, however, these decisions are not made in isolation of other considerations,” Katz said while addressing the Finance and Administration committee earlier today. “It is the official view of both the current and incoming representatives of the student body, that the tuition and fee increases in the proposal before you today are thoughtful, fair, and necessary.”

Final OUS consideration for the increases will take place on June 21.