The proposed limits on tuition increases are one piece of a higher ed funding puzzle that grew primarily out of dramatic recession-era state budget cuts and has been exacerbated by slower investment returns. Also on the table are major pushes for fundraising, belt-tightening and recruiting students from a wider range of demographics, including nontraditional learners and those hailing from outside the state or country.
However, some taxpayers may not fully understand institutions’ budget woes. About 34% of U.S. adults in a recent survey said they thought government funding for public higher ed had stayed the same over the last decade and 27% said they thought it increased.
