Ridgewater College proposes tuition hike

Ridgewater College students at the school’s Hutchinson and Willmar
campuses would see their basic tuition rise from $4,093 to to $4,216
under a plan recommended this week by Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities Chancellor James H. McCormick.

Adding student fees and applying a one-time federal stimulus discount, the final cost would rise from $4,606 in 2009 to $4,729 in 2010, a 2.7-percent increase.

Statewide, students at the 25 state colleges would pay an average basic tuition of $4,194, or 2.8 percent more than the current year, while students at the seven state universities would pay an average tuition of $5,791, or 3 percent more.

“We are grateful that the stimulus money helps us hold down the increase for this fall,” McCormick said in a news release. “In these uncertain economic times, many students and their families are challenged to make ends meet. But we also know higher education is key to retraining laid-off workers and preparing students to succeed in today’s global marketplace.”

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Directors will
conduct a public hearing on the proposed budget and recommended tuition increases from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, at the system office in St. Paul. The trustees are not expected to act on the proposed budget until their July board meeting.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system comprises 32 state universities and community and technical colleges serving the higher education needs of Minnesota. The system serves about 250,000 students per year in credit-based courses and an additional 140,000 students in noncredit courses.