Citing gains in the state's finances, the Arizona Board of Regents says the Legislature should significantly increase university funding.
The regents said Friday the state should provide appropriations for half of the cost of educating Arizona residents. That would be up from about one-third of the $15,000 average cost now.
The regents said the change could be made "over time" and would help honor the constitutional requirement for tuition as nearly free as possible.
A first step in that change accounts for $33.4 million of a $146 million request by the regents for increased funding for the fiscal year starting next July.
The regents also want a $24 million in the funding boost in the current fiscal year. They cited a $400 million bump in state revenues above budget assumptions.
