The impact of this program on North Dakota institutions is significant. Approximately 1,400 Minnesota students currently attending colleges and universities in North Dakota may qualify for the tuition-free program.
The impact of this program on North Dakota institutions is significant. Approximately 1,400 Minnesota students currently attending colleges and universities in North Dakota may qualify for the tuition-free program.
North Dakota higher education officials in the United States are expressing deep concern over the potential loss of students and revenue in 2024 as neighboring state, Minnesota, prepares to implement tuition-free public college and university programs.
The North Star Promise initiative in Minnesota will provide free undergraduate tuition and fees to eligible students from families with incomes below $80,000, starting in the fall of 2024. It is estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 Minnesota students per year will take advantage of this program, resulting in an estimated loss of $8.4 million in combined tuition and fees for North Dakota in the first year alone.
The impact of this program on North Dakota institutions is significant. Approximately 1,400 Minnesota students currently attending colleges and universities in North Dakota may qualify for the tuition-free program.
Institutions such as North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota heavily rely on Minnesota students, with close to half of North Dakota State’s student body coming from Minnesota. In fall 2021, Minnesota students accounted for nearly 40 percent of first-year students at the University of North Dakota and the North Dakota State College of Science.
North Dakota education officials are alarmed by the potential consequences of this program, describing it as having “catastrophic implications.” The loss of students and tuition revenue could have a profound effect on the institutions and their ability to maintain programs and services.
To address this issue, North Dakota university presidents and lawmakers are exploring possible responses. Democratic state Sen. Tim Mathern plans to draft a bill similar to Minnesota’s program but for North Dakotans. However, Democrats face challenges in the Republican-supermajority Legislature.
While Minnesota’s tuition-free program has raised concerns in North Dakota, neighboring states like Wisconsin have not experienced the same level of apprehension. The University of Wisconsin, for example, is expanding its existing free tuition program to additional campuses this year.
Lawmakers in North Dakota are planning to address the implications of Minnesota’s program through an interim legislative panel before the next session in 2025. They are seeking to develop solid policies that consider alternative educational delivery methods, workforce issues, and the shrinking traditional student base. To remain competitive, North Dakota’s Legislature has frozen tuition statewide for the next two years.
Despite the worries expressed by North Dakota education officials, there is optimism that the situation can be managed. North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott believes that catastrophe can be avoided, and efforts are underway to find creative solutions that respond to the changing landscape of higher education while ensuring the sustainability of institutions in the state.
