2 days ago
Tuition hikes, budget cuts could be on the way at the University of Minnesota
The Brief
Students at the University of Minnesota could see the biggest tuition jump in 14 years.
The university's budget for the coming year is proposing a 6.5% tuition increase and 7% cut to academic programs.
University officials say cuts in federal research funding and flat funding from the state are the reasons for the moves.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Board of Regents at the University of Minnesota (U of M) held a public forum on Monday afternoon to hear from students, faculty and staff.
What we know
The U of M's Board of Regents got an earful about the proposed budget for the coming school year."I understand the need to balance the budget. I understand the need to reduce scope. I really do, but I urge you to slow down," said Patrick Warfield, Director of the U of M's School Of Music.
The backstory
University President Rebecca Cunningham is proposing a 6.5% tuition increase for students at the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities and Rochester campuses, as well as 7% cuts to academic programs across the board.
University officials say the moves are necessary because of reductions in federal research funding and state funding not keeping up with inflation.
"The goal is to be able to invest in our workforce and invest in our crumbling infrastructure. We wish there were other options. We wish we had other choices," said Gregg Goldman, the U of M's Executive Vice President for Finance and Operations.
What they're saying
During an hour-long public forum on the budget, several speakers said the programming cuts would have a disproportionate impact on smaller departments and would result in layoffs for hundreds of non-tenured instructors.
"It's a slash and burn of our instructional programs in much the same manner that Elon Musk took a chainsaw through the federal government," said Nora Lovesay, a staff member in the U of M's American Indian Studies Department.
While others said such a big tuition hike would unfairly burden students and their families with larger amounts of debt.
"We should not be in effect asking students to pay more for less, which is what this budget is doing," said Warfield.
"I ask you to reconsider these increases along with the associated reallocations that will wall off opportunities for students like myself," said student Henry Board of Regents is scheduled to vote on the proposed budget next week.
