BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Idaho students won’t see a tuition increase if they attend one of the state’s four-year colleges or universities next year.
The presidents of the University of Idaho, Boise State University, Idaho State University and Lewis-Clark State College announced the tuition and fee freeze in Boise on Thursday. It’s the first statewide tuition freeze in 43 years.
Idaho State Board of Education President Debbie Critchfield said students’ share of the costs of operating the higher education institutions have increased dramatically.
“Forty years ago, state funding covered 88% and tuition revenue paid 7% of that cost. Today, the numbers are nearly even,” she said.
The freeze is for the 2020-2021 school year. In April, the Idaho State Board of Education approved a 5.6% increase in tuition for full-time, in-state undergrads at the University of Idaho and a 5.5% increase at LCSC for the 2019-2020 school year.
The freeze means UI and ISU will be giving up between $2 million and $3 million at a time when they and other state agencies are already being asked to cut budgets. BSU’s total will be larger, because the school has more students, and LCSC’s total will be smaller.
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