SPRINGFIELD— Despite student protest advocating a tuition “freeze,” costs for colleges governed by the Board of Regents might rise if the General Assembly does not heed requests by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Although the state’s higher education community is seeking a $319 million increase in operating budgets and grants, this request far exceeds the $300 million Illinois Gov. James Thompson predicted would be available for fiscal year 1991, according to the FY91 IBHE Budget Report.

The report states $139.3 million of the IBHE funds requested might go to NIU. NIU President John LaTourette said if the state comes through with this funding, tuition should not increase.

However, “if the state fails to provide this funding, the burden must shift to the students,” he added.

LaTourette said, “Historically, education comprises 37 to 39 percent of Illinois’ budget, however, the state has discussed raising this to 50 percent. If the state maintains this committment to higher education, a tuition increase should not be necessary.

“The last thing we want to do is raise tuition, but the General Assembly may leave us with no choice,” he said.

“A tuition increase would not even begin to restore NIU to its appropriate level of funding,” LaTourette said, adding over the past decade operating costs have been increasing at an average of five percent per year. “Funding has just not matched this increase,” he said.

LaTourette did admit Illinois has seen a slight increase in education and spending. However, he said, “Illinois still ranks 42nd in the nation, which is not acceptable for a state of its size.”

Sangamon State University Student Regent Brian Hopkins plans to present a proposal at the Regents meeting today that calls for a “freeze” on tuition at state universities governed by the Board. The Board governs NIU, Illinois State University in Normal and SSU in Springfield.