When the University board of trustees’ retreat came to a close Wednesday, University spokesman Tom Hardy said the recommendations for next year’s tuition numbers had still not been finalized.

The board will vote to approve the tuition and fees for the 2013-14 academic year at its regular meeting Thursday. Final recommendations for tuition costs could be released any time before then, Hardy said.

At the board’s meeting in Springfield in November, University President Robert Easter cited a 123 percent increase in tuition and fee costs since 2002. But he said keeping education costs affordable is a priority for the University. 

Last year, the board approved a 4.8 percent tuition hike for the class of 2016, raising the base tuition rate for in-state students from $11,104 to $11,636 annually.

If tuition rates are increased for the next academic year, they will most likely be modest increases, Hardy said.