COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee told state lawmakers Wednesday he plans to ask the university’s Board of Trustees to freeze in-state tuition for the 2013-14 school year because of what he says is a more favorable plan to fund higher education in Gov. John Kasich’s two-year budget.
Gee told the Ohio House Subcommittee on Higher Education he plans to recommend holding in-state undergraduate tuition at the current level of $10,036.80.
“Given the very real needs of the students and families in Ohio, and the new level of government support that we anticipate, I intend to recommend to our Board of Trustees that we freeze in-state tuition for the coming academic year,” Gee said.
Gee was testifying in support of Kasich’s higher education budget plan, which ties state higher education funding to graduation rates.
Gee led the effort to craft the funding blueprint, which he called “a bold plan” in a statement released through the governor’s office immediately following Kasich’s State of the State address Tuesday night.
“While many states are reducing funding for colleges, Governor Kasich has shown he understands that higher education is the engine driving long-term economic development in this state,” Gee said in the statement.
“The Board of the University is completely aligned with President Gee on the importance of this issue and will seriously consider this recommendation,” said chairman Robert Schottenstein.
This would be the fourth tuition freeze since Gee’s return to the university’s top job in 2007.
Previously, the university has frozen tuition for the 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 academic years, university officials said.
Gee adds that recent steps to streamline operations and find creative funding strategies helped make the freeze possible.