It Just Got Harder to Go to UMass

Depite all the talk across the nation—from families around dinner tables to Occupiers to President Obama—of the need to make college more affordable, it just got a little tougher to go to the University of Massachusetts.

Last week the school's Board of Directors voted to raise tuition by 4.9 percent, raising the average tuition from $11,901 to $12,481. The hike is expected to generate $25 million.

But in passing the increase, the board turned the spotlight back on the State House by promising to hold off on any further increases if the Legislature restores its share of funding to 50 percent.

After the tuition hike, approved in Dartmouth June 6, the state's share of funding on the five campuses will drop lower than the 45 it paid this year, according to the Boston Globe. 

Governor Deval Patrick said he did not lobby against the increase, but the night before the Dartmouth vote, he sent the board a message saying he objected to the idea. Patrick said he hopes to raise more revenue to support state colleges and universities, but did not specify how he wants to do that.