At this point, regular tuition increases at public universities are expected. But the news this year, including a 5.9 percent tuition increase for in-state students at the University of Connecticut, came as a shock, especially in the face of a limping economy.

The increases were similar across the system -- a 6.3 percent rise in tuition and fees for commuter students in the state university system, including Western Connecticut State University in Danbury and Southern in New Haven. Students living on campus will face a 5.6 percent increase.

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