Student leaders from the Minnesota State College Student Association (MSCSA) yesterday presented District 4 State Senator John Carlson with a special “Tuition Cap” (see attached photo or photos below) in honor of his efforts to control tuition costs during the 2011 legislative session.
“When we first met with Senator Carlson it was made abundantly clear that he was a student-centered legislator. He has been an outgoing advocate for limiting costs for public college students and well deserves this recognition,” said MSCSA President Geoff Dittberner
Sen. Carlson lead efforts in the Minnesota Senate to keep tuition in check during the 2011 legislative session, authoring a tuition freeze bill. Carlson testified alongside students during a Senate Higher Education Committee hearing about tuition controls and spoke at MSCSA’s rally last February. Although the tuition freeze bill did not get signed into law, tuition was capped at 4% for students attending Minnesota’s public two-year colleges in the 2012-2013 school year.
The “Tuition Cap” was presented to Senator Carlson at his office in the State Capitol by the elected student Cabinet of MSCSA, including MSCSA President Geoff Dittberner, MSCSA Vice President Darleen Tareeq, MSCSA Treasurer Alex Rodich and MSCSA Public Relations Coordinator David Corgan.
Director Larry Pogemiller of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education (MOHE) addressed the House Higher Education Policy and Finance committee Thursday. Pogemiller provided an overview of the office's activities, including administration of the Minnesota State Grant program and higher education research. He also focused on the need for more collaboration between MOHE, higher education systems, K-12, and industry. Pogemiller also outlined the current financial projections for the state grant program, projecting a balance of 6.9 million this year. The actual balance will be clear in February, and MOHE recommends using unspent funds to make up for a reciprocity deficit with North Dakota and the Living and Miscellaneous Expense allowance (LME) that are provided as part of state grant awards.
The Office of Higher Education also released their 2011 "Minnesota Measures" report at the committee hearing. The publication details student data from across the public, private, and for-profit sectors in Minnesota, tracking information such as credit transfer, demographics, tuition rates, and financial aid trends. Of particular note, the report illustrated a significant increase in student borrowing in Minnesota, especially compared nationally. Between FY1999 and FY 2009, educational borrowing in Minnesota rose 218 percent. The amount students borrow has also grown, faster than tuition and fees.
Pogemiller is new to the agency, having been appointed to the Director position by Governor Dayton in October.
As part of his State of the Union address Tuesday, President Obama focused on increasing college access and maintaining tuition affordability. Obama praised community colleges and their ability to train the workforce of the future, and called for greater partnerships between two-year colleges and industry. Obama also focused on college affordability concerns amidst nationwide cuts to state higher education budgets and skyrocketing tuition. The President urged Congress to prevent an increase in student loan interest rates and make the American Opportunity Tax Credit permanent. Federal interest rates on student loans are slated to double, from 3.4% to 6.8% this July.
Obama also called on states and institutions to control higher education costs, suggesting that future federal aid funds could be tied to the ability of states, colleges and universities to keep tuition rates down. "It’s not enough for us to increase student aid,” he said. “We can’t just keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we’ll run out of money. States also need to do their part, by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets. And colleges and universities have to do their part by working to keep costs down.” President Kevin Kopischke of Alexandria Technical College attended the State of the Union speech as a guest of Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar. “The state must continue to invest in higher education,” Kopischke said in response to President Obama's address, “We’ve lost a lot of dollars in the last five years.”
On Thursday, January 5, 2012, the Minnesota State College Student Association (MSCSA) recognized District 14 State Senator and President of the Senate Michelle Fischbach and District 10A State Representative Bud Nornes as its choices for the Senator of the Year and Representative of the Year at its Legislative Awards Dinner.
“As chairs of the higher education committees, Representative Bud Nornes and Senator Michelle Fischbach took lead roles inprotecting Minnesota’s two-year college students from another biennium of skyrocketing tuition costs, while mitigating cuts in funding to the MnSCU system,” said MSCSA Vice President Darleen Tareeq.
Despite a great deal of political pressure to eliminate tuition caps from the omnibus bill, both Senator Fischbach and Representative Nornes fought hard ensure the final compromise included a tuition cap. Thanks to their unwavering dedication, over 100,000 two-year public college students in Minnesota will see tuition increases capped at 4% next year.
The award was presented to Senator Fischbach and Representative Nornes by Darleen Tareeq, MSCSA Vice President and student at Century College and St. Paul College.
Photo Caption: MSCSA President Geoffrey Dittberner (right) and Vice President Darleen Tareeq (left) present State Sen. Michelle Fischbach (left center) and State Rep. Bud Nornes (right center) with MSCSA Legislator of the Year Awards.
As we approach our Spring General Assembly, here is the application for the Annual MSCSA Awards Dinner. Nominations can be made by students, staff, or faculty members from any of our MnSCU colleges. The categories are the same as in past years and include:
Student Awards:
Student Leader of the Year
Governing Council Member of the Year
Platform Representative of the Year
Student Senate of the Year
Non-Student Awards:
College President of the Year
Student Senate Advisor of the Year
Instructor of the Year
Should you have any questions please direct them to Sarah Glover in our office at 651-297-5877 or by e-mail. Thank you for taking the time to submit your nominations. It is a great way to honor someone who makes a difference at your campus.
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