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The University of Minnesota Board of Regents is meeting Friday to vote on a budget that contains a 3.8 percent hike in undergraduate tuition for the 2026-27 school year. 

 also calls for about $44 million in cuts to programs. The proposal estimates that reduction will cut at least 165 academic jobs, and another 64 positions in support areas, like research development, outreach programs and library support services.

The proposed tuition increase is similar to the inflation rate and is less than last year’s hike of 6.5 percent. Still, the proposal got backlash at a public hearing before the Board of Regents earlier this month. 

At that June 12 hearing, former student Sasmit Rahman said the proposal is frustrating.

“Tuition keeps rising, but I’m not understanding what students are actually paying for,” Rahman said. “Classes and support services continue to be cut.” 

Student fees and room and board costs would also go up, with rates varying by campus. According to the proposed budget, the cost of attendance for a student at the Twin Cities campus — including tuition and other fees — would go up 4.7 percent.

In its announcement of the budget proposal, the university pointed to limited state funding and rising inflation.

“We are taking disciplined, responsible steps to address today’s financial challenges while strengthening our long-term foundation,” University of Minnesota executive vice president for finance and operations Gregg Goldman said.

Speakers at the Board of Regents’ public hearing on June 12 said those cuts are worrying, too. 

Eric Daigre teaches in the university’s English department. He said some departments have already had to cut valuable classes and programs due to low funds, particularly in the College of Liberal Arts.

“There’s more than one way to balance a budget,” Daigre said. “Both last year and this year, my concern is that we're balancing the budget by defunding the actual educational mission of the university: education and research.”

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Estelle Timar-Wilcox

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The University of Minnesota Board of Regents is meeting Friday to vote on a budget that contains a 3.8 percent hike in undergraduate tuition for the 2026-27 school year. 


University of Minnesota regents set to vote on tuition hike, budget cuts

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