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GREENSBORO - Students at UNCG, N.C. A&T and other universities in the UNC system will pay more to attend college next year - but not as much as some schools had originally hoped.

The UNC Board of Governors voted Friday on tuition and fee rates, approving increases that are less than a third of what its campuses had requested.

The rates, which still must be approved by the legislature, on average would increase in-state undergraduate tuition and fees at the system's 16 campus by 3.9 percent.

UNCG's tuition and fees will go up 3.32 percent on average, with increases from as little as $83 for in-state undergraduates to $354 for out-of-state graduate students.

N.C. A&T did not ask for an increase in tuition but its fees will go up $88.

UNCG planned to ask for a 6.5 percent increase, but reduced its request to 5 percent after UNC President Erskine Bowles urged the schools to keep increases low as students and their families weather tough economic times.

The economic downturn has led state budget officials to warn the university system that its budget could be cut up to 7 percent this year.

UNCG will generate about $1.8 million through the tuition increase - more than half of which will go to aiding needy students.

"Fifty-five percent of the increase will be going to financial aid, to help our students in a truly tough economy," said Alan Boyette, vice provost at UNCG.

That's more than twice what has been mandated by the system.

"The other 45 percent is going to go to protecting our most important asset, our faculty," Boyette said. "We're trying to fend off some competitive recruiting from other institutions."

Boyette said the amount being allocated to financial aid is unprecedented, but the school anticipates an unprecedented number of requests for help.

"We don't have a crystal ball to tell us just how bad this economy is going to get," Boyette said. "Right now all we can do is plan for the needs of our students."

At UNC-Chapel Hill, undergraduates will see an increase of 4.4 percent, bringing in-state undergraduate tuition and fees to $5,456.16 next year. Out-of-state undergraduates will see an increase of 5.5 percent, bringing their cost to $23,344.16.

At N.C. State, undergraduates will see an increase of 4.9 percent, bringing in-state undergraduate tuition and fees to $5,396 next year.

Out-of-state undergraduates will see an increase of 2.5 percent , increasing their bill to $17,881.

Contact Joe Killian at 373-7023 or joe.killian@news-record.com