Incoming freshmen at schools within the Texas A&M University System whose families make $30,000 or less would have the cost of their tuition and mandatory fees paid under a plan regents are expected to consider this week.

The proposal would take effect next fall, a year after Texas A&M University began paying the tuition of incoming students whose combined household income is less than $60,000 under the Aggie Assurance program.

"What we're saying with this is money should not be a barrier to pursuing your education in a four-year institution," said Frank Ashley, vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Regents will meet in Room 292 of the Memorial Student Center on Thursday and Friday. They are scheduled to consider the System Promise Program during a meeting of the committee on academic and student affairs at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Texas A&M students whose families make between $30,000 and $60,000 still would fall under the Aggie Assurance program, which pays only tuition.

Only about 150 freshmen are covered under Aggie Assurance, at a cost of about $300,000. The funding comes from existing financial aid. But the cost is expected to rise to about $3 million within about four years because more students will use it, a university spokesman said.

Each of the nine universities in the system has some form of a program that pays tuition for lower-income students.

"The System Promise is sort of like the umbrella," Ashley said. "What we wanted to do as a system is say these are the non-negotiables. It might get better than this, but it can't get any worse."

Under the current proposal, students would have to maintain a 2.5 grade-point average. Universities could lower that requirement, but they couldn't increase it, Ashley said.

In addition to the income requirements, incoming freshmen would have to be degree-seeking, eligible for a Pell grant -- a need-based federal grant -- and enrolled in at least 15 semester credit hours.

In-state tuition costs at Texas A&M University are about $5,000 for this academic year, based on 15 credit hours per semester.

More financial aid money is available for Texas A&M University students this year because of an increase in loan limits and a new program for aspiring teachers, said Bridgette Ingram, an associate director at the Scholarships & Financial Aid office.

An extra $2,000 in federal Stafford loans is available for each grade level. And students who agree to teach after graduation in a high-need, low-income area will receive $4,000 per year under the federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant. If they don't fulfill their obligations under the contract, the grant becomes a loan.

Only about 150 Aggies currently take advantage of Aggie Assurance because there are other avenues of financial aid funding.

The Board of Regents oversees the nine universities, seven state agencies and health science center that comprise the Texas A&M University System, which has a budget that tops $3 billion.

Other scheduled board considerations include:

* Approval of the Texas A&M University System's five-year strategic plan.

* Approval of the revised project scope and construction budget for the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility.

* Approval of a budget contract for a specialized educational and research facility at the Costa Rica Center of Texas A&M.

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