The Kent State Board of Trustees approved a plan Wednesday to guarantee tuition, mandatory fees and room and board — including meal plan —  rates for incoming students during their first four years at the university.

“Students and their parents will have some peace of mind when it comes to the cost of an education,” said Todd Diacon, the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, according to a press release from the university. “We know from talking with parents that paying for college takes effective planning, and the guarantee reaffirms our commitment to put students first in helping them meet the challenges of earning a valuable bachelor’s degree.”

The university has not raised undergraduate tuition rates since 2014, when it was raised by $98 per semester. Since then, Ohio Gov. John Kasich has held in place a mandatory tuition freeze for all Ohio public universities.

With the freeze no longer in effect and new regulations allowing universities to establish tuition guarantee programs, the university now has wiggle room to increase tuition, but only incrementally, not on a single class of students for four years.

“University leaders will now explore various pricing options, specifically the proposed tuition rate for the first cohort of students entering in Fall 2018 as well as rates for room and board,” the university said in a statement.

Tuition rates will be discussed over the winter months, and the board is expected to vote on the proposed tuition rates for the Fall 2018 semester at their next meeting, scheduled for March 7.

Nicholas Hunter is the academic affairs reporter. Contact him at [email protected].