Courtesy / UMaine System
University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy
Updated: June 28, 2021
UMaine trustees vote to keep in-state tuition flat
File photo Courtesy / University of Maine at Farmington
The University of Maine at Farmington, whose campus is shown here, is part of the University of Maine System.
In-state tuition for students at Maine public universities will stay flat in the upcoming academic year at an average of $8,572, after a vote Friday by University of Maine System trustees.
The decision was part of a $578 million fiscal year 2022 budget approved by the board of trustees, the seventh budget in the last decade to leave in-state tuition rates unchanged. The UMaine System has also been steadily reducing the cost of tuition as a percentage of Maine per capita income since 2013.
Friday's vote was in line with a committee recommendation in June, after trustees in May voted to delay final approval of the budget. That delay aimed "to provide time to develop a spending plan that holds tuition flat for in-state students for the upcoming year."
The opportunity to forego the originally foreseen 2.5% inflation-linked tuition adjustment followed Gov. Janet Mills' proposed 3% increase in state support for the UMaine System and better-than-expected deposit activity for fall 2021 student enrollment.
“Our students come first at Maine’s public universities. Holding the line on tuition makes our life-changing degrees more affordable and accessible, and allows our students to earn their degrees with less debt,” said UMaine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy in a news release.
"The strong support of Gov. Mills and the Legislature is making it possible for us to provide a more affordable return to normalcy for our Maine students," he added. "On behalf of our students, we are grateful.”
The University of Maine System, established in 1968, is made up of six public universities, comprising 10 campuses and numerous centers across the state. The system's flagship campus is in Orono.
The UMaine System serves more than 30,000 students annually and employs more than 2,000 full-time and part-time faculty members as well as 3,000 regular full- and part-time staff.
In 2020 it became the first and only statewide enterprise of public higher education in the country to transition to a unified accreditation for the system.
Malloy told Mainebiz in an "On the Record" interview last year that unified accreditation "will give us opportunities to expand offerings at all of our campuses, because we can work together to do that."
He also said there would be a psychological effect, noting: "We’re going to see ourselves not as a member of a team that wears a different color, or has a different mascot, but that we’re on Team Maine, and we need to work together to bring the best results to Maine."
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments