Tuesday, July 21, 2009
COLUMBUS (AP) — A tuition freeze at public universities and a program to put Ohio college students to work at local businesses have fallen prey to budget cuts.
Gov. Ted Strickland and lawmakers often touted the tuition freeze and the five-year, $250 million internship program as showing their commitment to higher education.
The internship program was part of a $1.6 billion state-level stimulus package lawmakers intended to fully fund.
But the first $100 million slated for the program didn’t make it into the budget Strickland signed Friday. And universities will be permitted to raise tuition 3.5 percent each of the next two years.
Still, lawmakers and Board of Regents Chancellor Eric Fingerhut say Ohio showed a stronger commitment to higher education than other states.