RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Mike Easley is asking the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to vote against campus-based tuition increases when it meets this week.

In a letter to board Chairman Brad Wilson, Easley said raising tuition would hurt access to higher education in the state.

The letter, dated Friday, was released Sunday by the governor's office.

Wilson said he welcomes the letter, and the board will consider Easley's comments.

The full board is scheduled on Friday to consider tuition and fee increases

ranging from nine to 19 percent for students who are North Carolina residents in the 16-campus system for the 2004-05 academic year.

The UNC Board of Governors' budget committee is looking at individual increases for all 16 campuses. Fayetteville State University faces one of the biggest hikes: 17 percent.

East Carolina University in Greenville is looking at a 13 percent increase. The Board of Trustees proposed a much-debated 10.5 percent increase at UNC-Chapel Hill, and N.C. State students could pay 9 percent more next year for their education.

UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC-Asheville are the only campuses proposing a higher increase for out-of-state students. In Chapel Hill, students are facing a $1,500 hike.

UNC-Asheville wants out-of-state students to pay $600 more -- twice that of in-state students.

All of these will need approval from the full Board of Governors.