Chadron State College President Dr Randy Rhine is excited about the possible impacts of the 2-year tuition freeze for in-state students announced Monday by Governor Dave Heineman, University of Nebraska President J-B Milliken, and Nebraska State College System Chancellor Stan Carpenter.

If the legislature approves the plan, state funding for higher education would increase $47-million dollars…$43-million more to the university and $4.1-million additional to the state colleges.

The idea behind the freeze is to help keep higher education in Nebraska affordable and to increase enrollment at the state schools. Rhine thinks it should achieve both goals, and says it’s a “fine thing” anytime a new way is developed to control costs for students.

Rhine…officially still just the interim president until the State College System trustees meet next week…welcomes the additional state funding, but can’t say yet how much of the extra money will be coming to CSC. He expects it to be divided among the three colleges and applied to core needs.

Rhine says the trustees, state college system, and the 3 individual schools have all been exploring a variety of ways to hold down the cost of higher education for students. The trustees have limited tuition increases in recent years, including 3.5% for the coming year.

Enrollment has been growing at Chadron State, and Rhine thinks holding the line on tution has helped. He says potential students are “shopping” for colleges and scrutinizing the price of college education more.

Chadron State resident tuition and fee is $189.35 for one credit hour…bringing the total for a traditional full load of 15 hours per semester to a little under $5,600 a year. The savings under the tuition freeze for next year…based on the 3.5% increase approved by the trustees in April…would be a little under $200.