The Kansas Board of Regents has approved tuition increases for the 2009-10 academic year, a moved aimed at replacing funds cut by state legislators.

The increases range from a 3.9 percent increase for Kansas residents at Kansas State University to 8.5 percent increase for in-state residents at Wichita State University.

Thursday’s vote on the proposals was the regents’ response to a 10 percent reduction in state spending on the six state university campuses.

University leaders and regents members said the increases were necessary to maintain a quality education. Still, some of the regents worried that the increases would price college out of some Kansans reach, especially in a state where 6.9 percent of the population is unemployed.