Bowling Green State University President Carol Cartwright late this morning said a 3.5 percent tuition
hike will be on the agenda for the Oct. 2 meeting of the BGSU Board of Trustees.
In an e-mail to students and parents, Cartwright wrote that the hike would be effective with the spring
semester that starts in Jan. 2010. The increase amounts to $159 per semester on the main campus. The
increase for the Firelands campus in Huron would be $78 per semester.
Cartwright said no decision has been made regarding tuition for the fall of 2010.
"This was a difficult decision that was not taken lightly. I understand ?the economic hardship
facing many of our students and families. We are? committed to doing our best to ensure that a BGSU
education remains? affordable," she wrote.
"However, as many of you may know, Ohio’s core support for?state colleges and universities–State
Share of Instruction (SSI)–was? severely cut in the new biennial budget.?? As part of Ohio’s new budget,
the state has removed the freeze on?tuition and fees, allowing us to increase tuition and fees by a?
maximum of 3.5 percent each year.?? We have also been aggressively reducing our expenditures.
"For the? current fiscal year, BGSU has made $13 million in budget reductions.? We will be looking
at more significant expense reductions for next? year that will likely involve more reorganization, and
possibly? merging programs and functions."
She said BGSU will be monitoring what other Ohio colleges and universities do to remain competitive.
Cartwright urged students and parents with financial concerns to contact BGSU’s financial aid office for
assistance.