Although the state Board of Education in December permitted Idaho's colleges and universities to seek student tuition and fee increases beyond the usual 10 percent limit this year, Mike Rush, executive director for the office of the state board, said today that he doesn't expect them to do so based on the higher ed budget that JFAC set this morning. "I think there's no doubt that the institutions are going to need to cover, if nothing else, just the enrollment growth," he said, which means they'll be increasing fees. Rush said higher education in Idaho is "still a bargain," but he's concerned about a growing "ability-to-pay gap," particularly as Congress considers cutting Pell grants that provide financial aid for needy students. The state board will consider tuition and fee increases for next year in April.