Proposed N.J. cap on college tuition faces stiff resistance
A bill to mandate a fixed-rate four-year tuition at the state’s colleges and universities would, if made into law, put New Jersey in the vanguard of states trying the tactic in an effort to hold down college costs.
But the measure — introduced as the “signature piece” of a 20-bill higher education reform package last week — is likely to face stiff opposition from the schools and critics who say there is no evidence that it will stem tuition in the long run.
“There’s reason to oppose any bill that caps tuition,” said Paul Shelly, spokesman for the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities. “We’re already at 1990s levels of state funding and now you’re going to handicap the colleges from raising the money they need?”
There are different variations of fixed-rate tuition plans around the country. Rates can be locked in for four, five or even six years. Some colleges just fix tuition and not fees, while others include housing. Some schools charge more for the fixed-rate plan at the outset, with families hedging against future tuition increases.
The trend is still small, with less than 7 percent of the nation’s colleges and universities offering fixed-rate plans last year, according to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. But the numbers are growing. The legislatures in Illinois and Texas have both approved bills requiring that public colleges offer a fixed-rate plan. (Alex/The Record)
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