Senator recommends fall tuition freezes

Indiana State Senator Mike Delph (R) is calling on the state's public universities to keep tuition rates the same as last year.

Ivy Tech students pay $95 per credit hour. The community college is recommending an increase of about five dollars a credit hour, or a 4.9% increase each of the next two years.

"We're looking at less than $14 for each class. That's not a huge increase," said Ivy Tech Community College Chancellor Dr. Hank Dunn.

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education said the most Ivy Tech should increase tuition is four percent.

This was the first year the General Assembly required the commission to crunch individual school numbers and make tuition recommendations. Each recommendation begins with zero. The highest recommended increase is five percent. After upcoming public hearings, each university board of trustees will make the final call.

New Higher Education Commissioner Teresa Lubbers said universities will have to cut costs like everyone else. She sent the same message during the special session of the General Assembly, where she served as chairwoman of the Senate education committee.

The legislature flat lined higher education funding. But Delph said universities need to flat line tuitions.

"So I'm asking the universities to recognize the pain and suffering of the average Hoosier family on the street today and not raise their tuition," said Delph.

Commissioner Lubbers said it's unlikely any university will flat line tuition, although she says some smaller regional campuses may come close.

The commission does not have the authority to require schools to take its recommendation, but it can require university leaders to explain why they exceeded it.