In his State of the State address today, Gov. Ted Strickland proposed a freeze on next year’s tuition for all public colleges and universities in Ohio.

“Instead of an increase of 9 percent – and that’s what we’ve averaged in Ohio since 1996 – there would be absolutely no tuition increase next year,” he said to the Ohio General Assembly.

Strickland said he also wants to create a higher education compact between the state and public colleges and universities. With this plan, he said tuition would decrease for students over time.

“This compact will increase funding for the basic instructional subsidy by 5 percent next year, and by 2 percent more the following year,”he explained.

Strickland said he hopes through both of these proposals, more Ohioans will receive a higher education.

“My goal is clear, and my budget sets the stage,” he said. “In 10 years, we will increase the number of Ohioans with a college degree by 230,000, and we will increase the graduation rate among those who start college by 20 percent.”

Contact public affairs reporter Katie Alberti at [email protected].