UMaine System advances new tuition cuts to build workforce
COURTESY / UNIVERSITY OF MAINE
The University of Maine System may reduce non-resident tuition for some graduate programs by nearly 40%.
The University of Maine System's trustee executive committee has approved a proposal to reduce the non-resident tuition rate for graduate programs in the Muskie School of Public Service by nearly 40%.
The cut is designed to respond to the needs of Maine employers and grow program enrollments in the competitive market for higher education.
“We are acting quickly to advance common sense initiatives that support our students and can attract new talent and resources to our aging state,” University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy said in a news release.
The new non-resident tuition rate for the Muskie School master's degree programs in public policy and management and in public health would be $695 per credit hour, down from $1,141 per credit hour. The rate matches the established New England Board of Higher Education rate for the University of Maine System’s graduate programs. Graduate tuition at UMS for Maine residents is $421 per credit hour.
Non-resident enrollment in the Muskie School is approximately 80 credit hours annually, representing four full-time-equivalent students out of a total program enrollment of 136 students. A UMS analysis of the applicant pool suggests that a more regionally competitive price point will yield far more than the three additional non-resident students needed to replace the $35,690 in program revenue that would be lost by reducing tuition rates on existing students.
The Muskie School is affiliated with the University of Maine Graduate and Professional Center, which brings together programs of law, business and public policy to train workers and grow the Maine economy. The new tuition rates for non-resident Muskie School students matches a move made by trustees in October to lower the non-resident cost of a Maine MBA credit hour from $1,466 to $775.
As part of its evaluation of the Maine MBA tuition cut proposal, trustees learned that non-resident students make up just 4% of MBA enrollment this semester.
University leaders anticipate that the reduction in non-resident tuition along with program enhancements will mean that non-resident MBA enrollment will make up as much as 20% of program totals within two years.
Earlier in the fall, the Maine MBA announced as 12% tuition discount for members of any Maine chamber of commerce.
“The cross-disciplinary programming that is at the heart of the University of Maine Graduate and Professional Center is taking shape to serve students and employers throughout Maine, but also beyond Maine,” James Erwin, chair of the University of Maine System Board of Trustees, said in the release.
In October, the system announced it's aiming to waive tuition and fees for more than 1,200 Maine high school students graduating in 2020.
The University of Maine System is a founding partner of MaineSpark, an education and workforce initiative with a common goal: By 2025 60% of Mainers will hold education and workforce credentials that position Maine and its families for success.
The system is attracting more students outside the traditional 18 to 24 age range, more out-of-state students and more students in general.
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