GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Trustees for Florida's largest universities responded to a statewide budget crunch Friday by raising tuition, cutting staff and limiting enrollment.

University of Florida trustees approved a tuition hike of up to 15 percent for the 52,000 students at the state's largest university. Later Friday, Florida State trustees in Tallahassee adopted a plan to cap enrollment and eliminate 200 jobs.

Florida's 11 public universities are all facing tough budget times that included funding cuts from the Legislature.

University of Florida's trustees unanimously approved a 6 percent tuition increase for all students and an additional 9 percent increase for freshmen and sophomores.

Legislators authorized the 6 percent systemwide increase this year. The 9 percent increase was authorized by the Legislature last year under a law allowing the state's largest universities -- University of Florida, Florida State University and the University of South Florida -- to asses extra fees to recruit faculty and boost research.

The University of Florida has about 5,285 faculty.

University of Florida spokesman Steve Orlando said about 9,400 students will be assessed the full 15 percent tuition increase, which will amount to an additional $415 a year for most students, he said.

"The fact of the matter is that we have one of the lowest tuitions in the country," Orlando. "Even with the increases, we are still one of the best deals in the country for higher education."

And Orlando said he did not anticipate a drop in enrollment because of the rising tuition.

"Last year, we had approximately 28,000 applications for 6,600 freshman spots. We are an excellent bargain for the price," he said.

Under the tuition hike approved Friday, average in-state tuition for freshmen and sophomores will rise 15 percent to $3,788 and average tuition for other undergraduates will rise 6 percent to $3,568, Orlando said.

Orlando said students with prepaid tuition or need-based scholarships will not be affected.

UF President J. Bernard Machen said lawmakers cut the university's fiscal year 2008-2009 budget by $47 million.

"The budget cuts impact nearly every part of the university, although we are exempting university libraries and security programs and plan to fund faculty promotional raises," Machen said last month as he announced his budget for the next academic year.The UF trustees began meeting Thursday, when it put off a vote on a policy that would have banned rude or offensive language at a public forum.

About 430 positions were to be eliminated, including a lay off of 20 faculty and 118 staff members. In addition, the university plans to eliminate undergraduate enrollment by 4,000 over four years and cut back or eliminate a few doctoral-degree programs.

Florida State trustees said they will limit enrollment at least until 2010 at 2,000 fewer students than were enrolled last year. The university will accept about 1,200 fewer freshmen this year and 800 fewer transfer students, the school said.

A $31 million reduction in state money going to the university also means Florida State will eliminate more than 200 faculty and staff positions. Some aren't filled now, but the plan could also mean layoffs.

It will also cut the hours that the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory runs, and restrict faculty travel.

Florida State President T.K. Wetherell said the budget cuts have already led some faculty to move away for better pay. He said at least 62 faculty members, including 27 who had tenure, have left since August for higher paying jobs.