Ohio House flips Strickland’s tuition-freeze proposal in state budget, which now moves to Senate

Kent State students may face a tuition increase next fall, despite Gov. Ted Strickland’s proposed freeze.

Ohio’s House of Representatives unanimously passed a version of the state budget yesterday, which calls for up to a 3 percent increase in tuition for the upcoming academic year and a zero percent increase the following year. The House’s budget plan reversed Strickland’s plan, which called for a zero percent increase for the upcoming school year and up to a 3 percent increase the next year.

David Creamer, senior vice president for administration, said he will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees later this month to approve the 3 percent increase, which would bring tuition to $4,341 for the fall semester. This is a $126 increase from this year.

However, the Ohio Senate must also pass a version of the budget and both the House and the Senate must have a conference to determine the final version of the bill. After a final version of the bill is approved, Strickland must sign it into law.

Creamer said that although he is proposing this increase to the Trustees, things could still change in the Senate, which could alter the university’s plans. He said the university will comply with whatever legislation is signed into law.

“Hopefully this will all transpire before we send out bills in July,” he said.

Creamer will attend today’s Undergraduate Student Senate meeting to explain the proposed increase to the student body.

Contact administration reporter Tim Magaw at [email protected].