UH regents approve tuition freeze for most students

From UH News, May 16, 2019

The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (BOR) approved a three-year freeze of undergraduate tuition rates at UH’s 10 campuses beginning with the 2020–2021 academic year. The new tuition schedule also decreases general graduate student tuition rates at UH Mānoa.

“The new schedule ensures affordable higher education for the people of Hawaiʻi while providing stability over a multi-year period that will aid student recruitment and retention,” said UH President David Lassner. “It also increases our competitiveness in the broader higher education landscape as we strive to provide Hawaiʻi with a more educated workforce and citizenry.”

At the UH Community Colleges, for lower division courses, tuition is $131 per credit hour for residents and $345 per credit hour for nonresidents. For upper division/300-level courses at UH Maui College’s four-year degree programs and Leeward Community College’s advanced professional certificate in special education, tuition is $306 per credit hour for residents and $846 per credit hour for nonresidents for the 2019–2020 academic year, and is unchanged for the 2020–2023 academic years.

UH is entering the third and last year of the previously approved three-year tuition schedule. In the upcoming 2019–2020 academic school year, resident undergraduate tuition will increase by two percent for UH Mānoa and lower division courses at the seven community colleges, and by one percent for UHHilo and UH West Oʻahu. Under the newly approved tuition schedule, these 2019–2020 academic year rates will be maintained for the following three academic years.

Following the graduate tuition rates previously approved for 2019–2020, tuition will decrease by two percent for resident graduate students at UH Mānoa in 2020–21 and by 10 percent for non-resident graduate students. Both rates will then remain constant for the 2021–22 and 2022–23 academic years.

“The regents are fully supportive of efforts to keep college affordable for Hawaiʻi residents, while keeping tuition competitively priced for non-resident students who may have considered enrolling elsewhere,” said BOR Chair Lee Putnam. “The individual UH campuses will handle fluctuations in revenues with a constant eye on addressing the longstanding challenges of maintaining and improving facilities, and protecting the excellence of our educational experience.”

The regents approved the new tuition schedule at their May 16 meeting at Windward Community College. It was passed with an amendment that the schedule “will be subject to annual evaluation and adjustment to prevent significant negative economic or enrollment impact to the university.”

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Tuition freeze proposal to go before UH regents

From UH News, May 10, 2019

The University of Hawaiʻi administration is proposing a three-year freeze in undergraduate tuition rates at UH’s 10 campuses, beginning in the 2020–2021 academic year. The proposal also includes decreases in the general graduate education tuition rates at UH Mānoa. The proposed, three-year tuition schedule goes before the UH Board of Regents at its May 16 meeting at Windward Community College.

Board meeting materials (PDF) (see page 25)

The proposed freeze in undergraduate tuition rates is intended to keep higher education accessible and affordable for the people of Hawaiʻi. The proposed schedule also includes decreases in resident and non-resident graduate school tuition rates that will increase the university’s competitiveness in attracting graduate students. Providing stable tuition rates over a multi-year period in all categories will have a positive impact on student retention and recruitment.

In fall 2019 UH will enter the third year of the current three-year tuition schedule that was approved by the Board of Regents in 2016. Resident undergraduate tuition for the next academic year will increase by two percent at UH Mānoa and for lower division courses at the seven community colleges, and by one percent at UH Hilo and UH West Oʻahu. 

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Big Q: Should the University of Hawaii freeze undergraduate tuition, and reduce graduate tuition at Manoa? 

SA: University of Hawaii Tuition freeze gets nod

CB: UH Wants To Cut Tuition For Some Grad Students — Especially Out-Of-Staters