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Universities request more funding to keep tuition affordable

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – University officials are telling Indiana lawmakers they’ll need a bigger funding boost to continue to hold down tuition costs, implement new programs and expand on current resources.

Leaders from several state universities appeared Thursday before the state Senate Appropriations Committee where they touted their efforts to limit tuition increases in recent years. Schools previously took heat for tuition increases that far exceeded inflation.

The current House budget plan would provide schools with more funding than Gov. Mike Pence’s proposal released in January but the increase is small, and university leaders say there isn’t room for more cuts if lawmakers want low tuition costs to continue.

University leaders also requested funding to expand on resources such as career services, transition programs for incoming freshmen and financial guidance to decrease student debt.