Lincoln, Neb: On Friday, June 16, the Nebraska State College System (NSCS) Board of Trustees approved tuition increases for 2017-2018. Tuition will increase $12 per credit hour, bringing undergraduate resident rates to $172 per credit hour at each college. With this increase, Chadron State, Peru State, and Wayne State remain the most affordable 4-year institutions in the state.
The Nebraska State College System initially requested $54.9 million in state support to cover core needs such as increased cost of salaries, health insurance, utilities, and other operating expenses and mandatory compliance obligations for 2017-2019. The final amount of state funding approved was $52.1 million, leaving a gap of about $2.8 million. This gap required NSCS to make internal budget cuts and increase tuition.
With these budget challenges, the Nebraska State College System had to find a way to cover each college’s core needs without severely impacting students. Chadron State, Peru State, and Wayne State collectively reviewed their internal budgets to make careful adjustments to operating expenses and costs. During the review process, each college emphasized the importance of maintaining high-quality programs and student services.
NSCS Board of Trustees chair, Gary Bieganski said “The board has worked diligently the past several months to analyze the impact of these economic challenges to the Nebraska State College System. We based our decisions on minimizing the impact of budget cuts on students and keeping educational programs in place that provide significant value to Nebraska. This tuition increase ensures that our institutions will continue to serve as centers of academic excellence at a cost that is realistic for students.”
Chancellor Stan Carpenter said “We recognize the challenging financial situation that Nebraska currently faces. State funding allows the Nebraska State College System to continue to provide high-quality education to the citizens of Nebraska and we are grateful for the continued support."
The Nebraska State College System serves over 9,000 students through three geographically diverse institutions: Chadron State, Peru State, and Wayne State. The three colleges combined offer more than 200 degrees, certificates, and pre-professional programs that are accessible on campus, online, and in several locations from around the state. With more than 270 credentialed faculty members and 50,000 successful graduates, the Nebraska State College System provides significant human and intellectual capital that contributes to the current and future strength of the State of Nebraska.
