Trustees at Ball State University have approved a tuition increase of 1.25 percent today, the lowest increase in 41 years.  According to the school, tuition and fees for a Hoosier resident student will be $9,774.

That keeps Ball State tuition below main campus tuition at both Indiana University and Purdue University.  Purdue has frozen tuition for the last several years.  IU froze tuition in previous years, but on Wednesday chose to raise it by 1.4 percent.

Ball State Vice President for Business Affairs Bernie Hannon says freezing tuition is not the board’s ultimate goal.

The board also approved a two year budget that, among other things, will add $140,000 to mental health care for students.  Its aim is to improve the understaffed counseling center on campus.