BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - Now that Indiana lawmakers have approved a new state budget, public colleges and universities can start calculating their tuition rates for next year.

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education will meet Thursday to discuss non-biding tuition recommendations.

Indiana University hopes to announce proposed tuition rates for the next academic year by mid-July. The proposed tuition rates will be announced at least 10 days before the Board of Trustees votes on the proposal.

Lawmakers approved a budget Tuesday that essentially keeps higher education funding at current levels. IU got about $600 million in state support during the last academic year, less than a quarter of the school's $2.7 billion operating budget.

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