University of Colorado President Bruce Benson is proposing hiking tuition another 9.3 percent for most in-state undergraduate students next year.

If approved, tuition at the state's flagship university in 2009 would have increased nearly 25 percent over 2007 tuition. Last summer, the Board of Regents approved a 14.6 percent increase.

Benson's tuition proposal has the backing of campus chancellors and will be discussed during a special regents' meeting in Denver Tuesday.

Student leaders said the increase is unfortunate but expected.

"In order to maintain the quality of programs and professors at the school, somebody has to pay for it," said Tri-Executive Elect Ryan Biehle.

CU's top financial chiefs have prepared five tuition-rate options for university leaders to review. The options include rate increases ranging from 5.8 percent to 9.5 percent.

The hike would cost students enrolling in the College of Arts and Sciences an extra $504, bringing annual tuition to $5,922. Last year's increase meant an extra $665.

Legislators and Gov. Bill Ritter set a cap preventing tuition increases above 9.5 percent for Colorado undergraduates.