Talking about a slew of increasing expenses beyond their control, administrators from many of the state’s public universities made their cases Thursday for state funding increases of more than 10% in the future.

Leaders from the state’s 14 public colleges outlined their needs during public presentations. Several officials pointed to increased costs for providing health care to employees as a primary driver for their requests. Inflation, utilities and insurance hikes were also cited.

“We are being somewhat eaten up by inflationary costs that we can’t control, having to do with everything from technology, insurance, the need to enhance our campus safety and security, the construction cost to take care of deferred maintenance …” said Kelli Shomaker, Auburn University’s chief fiscal officer.

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