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USNH Trustees Freeze In-State Tuition For Next Two Years

Kyle Todesca, UNH

The University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees voted Friday to freeze tuition for in-state students for the next two years.

The move comes after lawmakers agreed to substantially restore funding cuts made to the system in the last budget.

The tuition freeze for in-state students marks the first time in 25 years the cost of attending University System of New Hampshire schools will not rise.

After the Legislature cut support for higher education in half in the last budget, tuition rose by 9 percent in 2011 and by another 6 percent last year.

Higher education officials had pledged to freeze tuition if lawmakers agreed to restore the funding.

While not fully restored, the university will receive $153 million in the next two-year budget, up from $100 million in the last two-year budget.

The university system includes the University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, Keene State College and Granite State College.

The freeze will benefit the more 22,000 in-state students attending those schools.

Last year, tuition and fees at UNH ran in-state students about $16,000.  

Governor Maggie Hassan applauded the decision, calling it a step to make higher education for affordable for New Hampshire families and students.

She made motion to set tuition rates at a meeting of the trustees at Keene State College.

Michael serves as NHPR's Program Director. Michael came to NHPR in 2012, working as the station's newscast producer/reporter. In 2015, he took on the role of Morning Edition producer. Michael worked for eight years at The Telegraph of Nashua, covering education and working as the metro editor.

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