UMass Delays Tuition Hike Decision Due To Stalled Budget Talks

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BOSTON (AP) — The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees has postponed meetings to discuss possible tuition and fee increases because of the ongoing state budget impasse at the Statehouse.

The trustees' administration and finance committee was expected on Tuesday to recommend student charges for the 2019-2020 academic year, followed by a vote on those recommendations by the full board.

A spokesman for UMass President Martin Meehan said Monday the meetings were put off until the Legislature approves a $42.7 billion state budget. Closed-door talks among lawmakers have so far failed to produce agreement on the spending plan for the new fiscal year that's already more than two weeks old.

Both the House and Senate want to appropriate $558 million for UMass, but the Senate added language freezing tuition and fees. Meehan opposes a freeze.