Minnesota State system freezes tuition for most college students, but some fees could rise
Minnesota lawmakers required the freeze, and some trustees suggested asking for additional flexibility. Many schools, including St. Cloud State University, are facing budget cuts.
By Liz Navratil Star Tribune JUNE 18, 2024 — 4:38PM
Trustees for the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities on Tuesday (June 18, 2024) agreed to freeze tuition for most undergraduate students, though some could still see increases in costs for housing, parking or fees associated with some programs. The $2.4 billion budget also calls for many schools, including St. Cloud State University, to make cuts.
Minnesota lawmakers required leaders to freeze tuition for most undergraduate students when they gave the system an additional $293 million to spend over two years. But, the legislation also included an exception that allows schools to increase rates for some programs “where costs for course or program delivery have increased due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the college or university.”
Five types of programs met those requirements. For example, students taking some construction management courses at Minnesota State University Moorhead will pay an extra $2 per credit, while people taking a computer network administration class at Pine Technical & Community College will pay an extra $44.50 per credit.
Vice Chancellor for Finance and Facilities Bill Maki told trustees during a meeting Tuesday that they attempted to be “pretty surgical” in their decisions, keeping a “very high threshold” for deciding when programs could be granted an exception. He said there are hundreds of differential rates across the system’s 33 schools.
The tuition and fee rates were included in a $2.4 billion budget proposal that also requires many of the system’s schools to make cuts to balance their budgets. Many schools have offered buyouts to employees and are reevaluating their programs.
Some college presidents told trustees they are trying to find a delicate balance, as they face demands to keep costs under control, meet students’ educational needs and navigate capacity challenges in some programs.
“We really have to talk about our values and those areas that our communities need us to be training and educating students the most,” said Carrie Brimhall, president of Minnesota State Community and Technical College. “These are tough conversations because we’d like to continue to be able to do everything.”
Some trustees asked if the exceptions could be applied more liberally, a move that others cautioned against because they didn’t want to strain their relationship with state lawmakers who making crucial funding decisions.
“I’m highly conflicted,” said Trustee Jim Grabowska, adding that they couldn’t “kick this can down the road.”
Two schools that faced significant enrollment declines in the past decade — St. Cloud State University and Bemidji State University — will each be receiving $2 million loans from the system office. St. Cloud State University announced earlier this year that it will be cutting about 90 programs and 54 faculty.