MINNEAPOLIS- The University of Minnesota has recently faced the tough choice of having to raise tuition on non-Minnesota residents, a reality which was reported in President Eric Kaler’s proposal to the Board of Regents on Thursday.
The proposal, looks to increase tuition rates for ‘non-resident’ by 15 percent. According to the summary prepared for the Finance and Operations Committee, the plan will increase the tuition from $24,986 to $28,734, a $3,748 increase. In state students pay about half of that amount, at $12,800. The Board of Regents report goes on to point out that while this increase is significant, the University of Minnesota would still be offering better out of state tuition rates in comparison to the other Big Ten schools. The plan specifies that sophomores and juniors would not see an increase in their tuition for more than 5.5 percent (compared to the 12.5 percent increase above).
The increase is expected to net 10 million in revenue for the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Currently, out of the University of Minnesota system schools, only Duluth has a non resident tuition differential. As a way to offset some of the political cost from increasing nonresident tuition, the University looks to increase some of its spending on recruitment materials for out of state students, while at the same time seeing if they can not move some of the money toward scholarships for students affected by the increase. The amount for spending was not specified at this point, however. The statement did say that “compensation increases should consider what is necessary to provide market-competitive rates within the context of available resources.”
The University of Minnesota has one of the lowest tuition rates compared to other colleges within the Big Ten. Many students, both in state and out of state, have voiced their displeasure with the administration raising tuition rates on non-resident students according to the Star Tribune.
