Tuition freeze proposed

For the better part of the past decade, tuition has increased every year at the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

Rep. Chris Swedzinski (R-Ghent) would like to stop the trend. He sponsors HF856 that would freeze tuition for Minnesota undergraduates attending a MnSCU institution or the university for fiscal years 2012 and 2013. After that, tuition could not be raised more than the Consumer Price Index for the preceding calendar year.

“This would address the short-term impact of tuition increases on students and families in Minnesota, but would also provide for long-term tuition guidance for Minnesota students and their families, along with MnSCU and the university,” he said.

The bill was held over March 8 by the House Higher Education Policy and Finance Committee for possible omnibus bill inclusion. A companion, SF268, sponsored by Sen. John Carlson (R-Bemidji), was laid over Feb. 16 by the Senate Higher Education Committee for possible omnibus bill inclusion.

Swedzinski said the bill would force MnSCU and the university to make “true, structural reforms to push revenues to the classroom and reduce administrative costs.”

Rep. Tom Rukavina (DFL-Virginia), applauded Swedzinski for his effort to address tuition and costs, but noted that nowhere in the bill does it say administrative costs must be cut. “I’m sure 65 up to 70 percent of their costs are salaries and benefits to their employees. What you’re going to do is shut down classrooms and offerings and maybe do more harm than good.” He also fears fees could be raised to make up for any shortfall.

Rep. Terry Morrow (DFL-St. Peter) said “it’d be great in theory,” but said a better way to help students is with a good budget target. “It’ll have a whole lot more impact on what’ll happen to tuition.”

Much of the discussion centered on the reduction in state appropriations in the past decade. Russ Stanton, director of government relations for the Inter Faculty Organization, noted that in fiscal year 2002, two-thirds of collegiate costs were borne by the state. That number has since dropped to 43.4 percent.

“Relying on tuition increase is not a sustainable model in the long term,” said Travis Johnson, president of the Minnesota State College Student Association.