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Minnesota State Colleges and Universities: News Releases

June 13, 2003

Students at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to pay 12.6 percent more in tuition and fees under proposed increases

Contact Public Affairs: Linda Kohl, Public Affairs, (651) 296-9595 or Nancy Conner, (651) 296-0541

Students attending Minnesota State Colleges and Universities will pay an average of 12.6 percent more in tuition and fees next year under proposed increases to be considered next week by the Board of Trustees.

That means full-time students would pay an average of $3,583 for the 2003-2004 academic year, or $400 more than last year.

Comment on the increases will be gathered in public hearings June 23 and July 9 by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees, and the board will vote on the increases in July.

The proposed increases follow a $191.5 million reduction in the system's state appropriation for the 2004-2005 biennium, which amounts to a 14.8 percent cut from the system's adjusted base budget. Besides increasing tuition, the system is balancing its budget by using some reserve funds and reducing staff, class offerings and student services.

Nearly 300 full-time-equivalent instructional and staff positions are being cut across the 33 state colleges and universities and the Office of the Chancellor, according to preliminary information. Positions are being reduced through layoffs and attrition and leaving positions vacant. Students on many campuses will see fewer class sections and larger classes, cutbacks in services and some program closures.

Tuition alone, not including fees, would rise by an average of $383 or 13.7 percent over the previous year, bringing average tuition for the coming academic year to $3,183.

After the public hearings, the Board of Trustees in July will set tuition for 2003-2004; the board also will consider tuition increases for the 2004-2005 academic year. The proposed tuition and fees for the 2004-2005 academic year average $4,029, or 12.5 percent more than the coming year.

The public hearings on tuition and fees will be conducted by the Board of Trustees Finance and Facilities Policy Committee as follows:

  • Monday, June 23, 1 to 4 p.m. Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Room L-317 Whitney Hall 1501 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
  • Wednesday, July 9, 1 to 4 p.m. Central Lakes College, College Cafeteria 501 West College Drive, Brainerd, MN

Those who want to speak at the hearings are asked to register in advance and bring 20 copies of their testimony. Presentations will be limited to 15 minutes each. To register, contact Cynthia Nelsen at (651) 296-3755 or by e-mail at cynthia.nelsen@so.mnscu.edu .

After consultation with students, each of the 33 state colleges and universities proposed its own tuition increase for approval by the board

By type of institution, the proposed increases would be:

Two-year state colleges:

  • For 2003-2004, average annual tuition and fees, $3,420, or 12.2 percent over last year;
  • For 2004-2005, average annual tuition and fees, $3,834, or 12.1 percent over the previous year.

Four-year state universities:

  • For 2003-2004, average annual tuition and fees, $4,328, or 13.9 percent over last year;
  • For 2004-2005, average annual tuition and fees, $4,922, or 13.7 percent over the previous year.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System comprises 33 state universities, community colleges, technical colleges and combined community and technical colleges located on 53 campuses across the state. The system serves approximately 235,000 students annually in credit-based courses and another 130,000 in non-credit courses.

See attached lists of proposed annual tuition and fees for 2003-2004 and 2004-2005.

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