Post by mhbruin on Jul 3, 2023 9:07:35 GMT -8
Oh, No! Helping Poor Kids Go to College Might Hurt the Football Team!
North Dakota higher education officials are deeply worried about losing students and revenue in 2024 when neighboring Minnesota makes public college and university tuition free for thousands of residents.
Officials estimate around 15,000 to 20,000 Minnesota students a year will use the free North Star Promise program, and North Dakota education officials are projecting an $8.4 million loss in combined tuition and fees in the first year alone, under one scenario.
Roughly 1,400 Minnesota students attending North Dakota colleges and universities might be eligible for the new program.
“This has catastrophic implications," said David Cook, North Dakota State University's president, at a recent State Board of Higher Education meeting. "This is a very serious situation for us."
Minnesota students make up close to half the student body at North Dakota State in Fargo, their No. 1 out-of-state pick in their first year. They accounted for nearly 40% of the first-year students at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks and North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton in fall 2021.
“Probably half of our football team comes from Minnesota, so that’s kind of a big deal to us,” College of Science President Rod Flanigan said.
North Star Promise will cover undergraduate tuition and fees at Minnesota's public post-secondary schools for students whose family income is below $80,000 after they've tapped other sources of financial aid. It will take effect in fall 2024.
North Dakota higher education officials are deeply worried about losing students and revenue in 2024 when neighboring Minnesota makes public college and university tuition free for thousands of residents.
Officials estimate around 15,000 to 20,000 Minnesota students a year will use the free North Star Promise program, and North Dakota education officials are projecting an $8.4 million loss in combined tuition and fees in the first year alone, under one scenario.
Roughly 1,400 Minnesota students attending North Dakota colleges and universities might be eligible for the new program.
“This has catastrophic implications," said David Cook, North Dakota State University's president, at a recent State Board of Higher Education meeting. "This is a very serious situation for us."
Minnesota students make up close to half the student body at North Dakota State in Fargo, their No. 1 out-of-state pick in their first year. They accounted for nearly 40% of the first-year students at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks and North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton in fall 2021.
“Probably half of our football team comes from Minnesota, so that’s kind of a big deal to us,” College of Science President Rod Flanigan said.
North Star Promise will cover undergraduate tuition and fees at Minnesota's public post-secondary schools for students whose family income is below $80,000 after they've tapped other sources of financial aid. It will take effect in fall 2024.