Michigan State University’s Board of Trustees approved a tuition rate increase for the upcoming school year as part of the university’s $3.65 billion operational budget.
The unanimous vote on Friday approves a tuition increase of 2.6% for in-state full-time students or about $470 dollars per year or $26 per credit hours for graduate courses. Students at professional schools including MSU’s program in Osteopathic Medicine and Human Medicine will see an increase of 4%.
Trustee Brianna Scott said the tuition hikes are because of a lack of funding from the state.
“It is to me uncomprehensible, why anyone would think that this is fair,” said Scott. “When we educate and retain more students in the state of Michigan than the other two research one universities that remain in this state, that we are funded less than they are.”
The state is home to 15 public universities with the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor receiving $356 million in state funding and MSU receiving $318 million according to Michigan’s 2023-2024 education budget. The money each school receives depends on several factors including how many full-time students are enrolled, and how well these students are performing.
While the vote was unanimous, Trustee Dennis Denno expressed concerns about the tuition increase and graduation rates for African American and Latinx students.
“I was adamantly going to vote ‘no’ on this tuition increase and I’m disappointed on the responses I received from this administration on why the graduation rates are so low,” Denno said. “After talking with President Guskiewicz I’m going to vote yes because I believe in his commitment to help figure this out and help improve those numbers.”
Michigan State University is expecting to make about $30 million in incremental revenue from tuition rates increases. First year students in the Spartan Tuition Advantage aid program will not see an out pocket increase in intuition costs over the next four years. The program covers the first-year tuition for Michigan students from households with an annual income of $65,000 or less who are eligible for Pell grants.
During their meeting, the board also approved MSU’s operating budget at $3.65 billion, a 9% increase from last year’s budget of $3.3 billion.
Pro-Palestinian Protests Temporarily Halt Meeting
The Board of Trustees meeting was delayed by more than half an hour after student protestors interrupted the session to call for the university’s divestment from Israel.
School officials deny holding any funds or bonds that further Israel’s war efforts in Gaza, but some faculty and students claim that’s not entirely accurate with the school’s investments in companies like Boeing.
“Boeing manufactures F-15 fighter jets and Apache H-64 attack helicopters, which the Israeli Air Force used extensively in its attacks on civilians in Gaza,” said MSU education professor Alex Weiss.
A 2023 investment portfolio from Boeing names MSU as one of its community partners.
MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz has agreed to meet with students to continue discussions on the university’s investment bonds.
