Tuition at Connecticut’s public colleges and universities is set to increase by 5% next school year.
The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Board of Regents (BOR) voted to approve the hike on Thursday.
System officials and members of the BOR say they have to raise tuition to make up for a decline in enrollment, less state funding and high fringe costs.
But students like Naya Blizzard-Ireland at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain said the increase will be detrimental to the student body, and the future of the state.
“We are the future of Connecticut, we are going to make Connecticut a better place for all,” Blizzard-Ireland told the BOR before the vote. “But how can we possibly do that if we are being forced to pay more for less? How can we possibly do that if we're being priced out?”
Beginning next fall semester, Central, Southern, Western and Eastern commuter students can expect to pay about $330 more for tuition per semester. Resident students can expect their bills to increase by around $1,000.
Community college students will pay around $220 more.
System president Terrence Cheng said he did not want to ask students for more money, but it had to be done.
“As we previously reported, the state of Connecticut's biennium budget allocation for CSCU fell significantly short of what is necessary to maintain our existing levels of operations,” Cheng said. “We have made great strides, I would dare say incredible, remarkable strides towards closing our budget gaps. But we aren't quite there yet.”
Only one member of the BOR voted against the tuition hike — New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart (R).
“I understand the financial need, I just have a very strong feeling that it shouldn't be done on the backs of the students until we have our stuff in order,” Stewart said. “I kind of equate this to raising taxes. . . you raise taxes when there's no other option of things to cut or ways to raise revenue. You put it on people at the very end.”
