Board of Regents freezes CSCU tuition

Despite an unpredictable year, state college students can take comfort in knowing one thing will stay the same: their tuition.

Tuition and most mandatory fees will remain flat at all Connecticut State Colleges and Universities next school year, the Board of Regents for Higher Education voted on Thursday. Schools impacted include CSCU’s 12 community colleges, four state universities and Charter Oak State College.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Connecticut students particularly hard,” Interim President Jane Gates said in a statement. “The Board of Regents, recognizing that we cannot ask our students and their families to shoulder a greater share of the burden during these difficult times, made the wise but difficult decision to freeze tuition and most fees for the upcoming academic year.”

The plan also reduces fees charged for online instruction at the schools, drops students’ UPASS fee for unlimited public transit and reduces meal plan costs at Central Connecticut State University.

“The institutions within the Connecticut State College and University system are the most affordable, accessible options to get a great education — and we intend to keep it that way,” said Gates.

The chair of the board, Matt Fleury, warned that CSCU continues to face fiscal headwinds that could result in future tuition increases.

CSCU plans to merge its 12 community colleges into a more financially sustainable system with streamlined operations and shared administrative costs. At a Board of Regents meeting Thursday, system officials said half of the schools have negative reserves, and 31 percent have seen a decrease in full-time enrollment since 2014.

If the merger is blocked or reversed, Fleury said the savings it has and can achieve would be lost.

Fleury added that several other unknowns could impact tuition after the 2021-22 school year, including state funding, ongoing labor contract negotiations and effects of the pandemic so far unseen.

“Our strong position against a tuition increase depends on these things,” said Fleury.