Minnesota State college system to raise tuition by 3%

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Minnesota State college system’s board of trustees has voted to raise tuition by 3% this fall as enrollment declines.

The Star Tribune reports that the board of trustees approved a $2.1 billion budget for the 37 universities and community colleges in the system, which has lost almost a fifth of its enrollment over the past decade.

In recent years, state lawmakers have required the system to freeze tuition. Minnesota State officials had vowed to freeze tuition again if the Legislature granted $246 million more for the biennium - but the system received only a third of that amount.

System leaders say they need to raise tuition to keep up with the cost of inflation. Some trustees and student leaders opposed the increase, saying the schools should remain affordable.

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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com