UMN AY 22-23 Tuition Increase
[link to original Twitter thread]
[link to original Twitter thread #2]
On May 12, 2022, the UMN regents met to discuss the newly introduced budget proposal, including a 3.5% tuition increase. President Gabel was not present for the proposal, despite it being her first tuition hike since being awarded her 7-figure salary.
In the Governance and Finance Committee Meeting of the June Board of Regents meeting, a vote was held to pass President Joan Gabel's annual operating budget. Her proposed budget included a 3.5% tuition increase on the Twin Cities and Rochester campuses, with a 1.75% tuition increase at the Duluth, Morris, and Crookston campuses. This is the largest tuition increase in a decade and follows a 1.5% tuition increase last year.
During this meeting, Regent Darrin Rosha proposed a tuition freeze amendment to this budget. This received a lot of backlash from other regents, specifically Regent Steve Sviggum who threatened needing to cut scholarships, faculty and staff salaries, public safety, cyber security efforts, among others. He was backed up with support from Regents Davenport and Huebsch.
Student Representative Kurtz suggested pulling money to cover the tuition freeze out of the President's "strategic money" which accounts for $7M of the budget.
In closing, Regent Rosha makes a strong two minute argument for the constituents he refers to as "preferred stakeholders". In this, he explains that 9,000 students report having food insecurity and asks how many days students should starve themselves in order to attend school here. He explains the finances of inflation, pointing out that 8.5% inflation doesn't increase student wages by 8.5%, only their cost of living. He argues that this 3.5% increase is tacked on top of the 8.5% inflation, making student lives even more difficult. (Keep in mind, students at the UMN Twin Cities Campus make below Minneapolis minimum wage and the University refused to increase student wages in December when they gave President Gabel her 7-figure salary package).
The University cited inflation as one of their primary factors for proposing the tuition increase, however tuition has rapidly outpaced inflation rates in recent decades. Additionally, and ironically, university leadership cites inflation for administrative pay raises and tuition increases, but refuses it be used as a reason for increasing the pay of student workers, staff, and faculty.
Some quick math over the past 5 years for in-state tuition prices:
2017-18: 12,800
18-19: 13,058
19-20: 13,318
20-21: 13,318
21-22: 13,520
Accounting for a 5-year increase of 5.625%
Some quick math over the past 5 years for out of state tuition prices:
2017-18: 24,986
18-19: 28,736
19-20: 31,616
20-21: 31,616
21-22: 32,096
Accounting for a 5-year increase of 28.456%
Sources:
June 2022 Board of Regents Gov& Finance Meeting