Kan. Board of Regents approves tuition freeze
On Thursday, the Kansas Board of Regents unanimously approved a plan that would freeze state university tuition costs for Kansas residents during the 2009-10 school year.
The plan, which would also address important campus deferred building maintenance projects across the state, will be possible if two criteria are met; the Kansas Legislature limits fiscal year 2010 higher education budget reductions to no more than 7 percent, and the state receives higher education-related funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, according to KBOR.
"After careful consideration, we have identified a plan for how the Board and the Legislature can together provide meaningful financial relief to Kansans," KBOR Chairwoman Donna Shank said. "This plan would help to keep higher education affordable in these tough economic times through a one-year state university tuition freeze for Kansas residents, and it would create jobs and stimulate the economy through work on important deferred building maintenance projects."
In fiscal year 2009, assuming that ARRA funding is available, the board's plan would allocate $9.6 million in federal stimulus funds to the state's public higher education institutions -- seven public universities, 19 community colleges, and six technical colleges -- for deferred building maintenance projects.
For 2010, assuming that higher education budget reductions do not exceed 7 percent and ARRA funding is available, the board's plan would allocate $40 million in federal stimulus funds to the state's public higher education institutions for deferred building maintenance projects and tuition cost mitigation, which would make the one-year state university tuition freeze for Kansas residents possible, according to KBOR.
"Due to careful planning undertaken over the past six months, the state's higher education system is prepared to absorb a 7 percent budget in fiscal year 2010," Shank said. "This reduction will not be easy or painless, and it will have a serious impact. Nonetheless, we understand that every state governmental entity must share in the pain so we are prepared to do our part. As a result of months of preparation, and due to the unexpected federal stimulus funds, the Board has determined that it is possible to freeze tuition if the cuts do not exceed 7 percent."
Shank added, "There are three important components of this plan. The state's higher education community would do its part to help address the challenging budget situation, significant resources would be used to address campus deferred maintenance problems, thus creating jobs and putting Kansans back to work, and, due to a freeze on tuition, hard-working Kansans and their families would be able to keep more money in their pockets during these tough economic times."