U of M president says funding cuts could cause tuition increase

The president of the University of Minnesota told state lawmakers Wednesday that decreasing the school's funding would mean job and program cuts at the U and an increase in tuition.

Republicans lawmakers are considering a move that would essentially give the U of M flat funding over the next two years. School officials fear actual funding cuts will be on the table later in the session.

University president Robert Bruininks said students likely face a tuition increase next fall in the single digits, but that could go higher if the school faces a "crisis situation" at the state capitol.

"They'd have to hammer us really hard, and I hope they don't do that," Bruininks said. "That's not going to be in the best interest of our students, our families or the state of Minnesota."

Bruininks said any reduction in funding will mean deeper cuts at the U of M.

"There's no question if you cut the university more deeply, let's say at a deeper level than even the proposal on the table today, we'll have to look at tuition as one of the solutions," he said.

Bruininks said if the U needs to make budget cuts, he wants most of them in place before his contract runs out this summer and he leaves the president's office.