The University of Nebraska Board of Regents has approved a $1.1-billion dollar budget for next year that includes inflationary tuition increases meant to help wipe out a lingering budget deficit.
The budget, made up of taxpayer dollars and tuition, will raise the cost of attendance between 3.2% and 3.4%. Tuition will be at least $100 more per semester at each of the four campuses.
The vote was 5-2 with Kathy Wilmot and Robert Schafer voting against the budget. Schafer said he couldn’t approve a budget that raises tuition and funds diversity and inclusion programs while cutting programs, jobs, and services to students.
Wilmot said families of students will get what she called “somewhat of a double hit,” because they are paying taxes that help fund the university, and are now being asked to chip in again by paying more in tuition.
Regent Jim Scheer disagreed with Wilmot, saying there are plenty of taxpayers who don’t attend the university but help fund it because they understand they benefit from a better-educated population with better doctors, lawyers, and dentists – and the university is producing those better people.
Several regents pointed out that even with a 3.5% tuition increase, NU will still have the second-lowest tuition in the Big 10, and the three student regents all said the increase is an investment their peers are willing to make for improved