Portland State University votes to raise tuition 11%

(MAY 15, 2019) Soon it will be more expensive to attend Portland State University. Its Board of Trustees, the people who manage the university, voted 6-3 to raise student tuition and fees. The tuition will increase 11%. That means a resident student will pay $10,050 in annual tuition and fees.

Board members say the state of Oregon does not provide enough money to balance its budget. The state's focus, they say, is on elementary and secondary schools. The state recently passed a school funding bill for $1 billion a year.

When an Oregon public university raises its tuition more than 5%, it needs approval from the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission. That decision will come in June. Students plan to protest at the meeting.

“This will hurt PSU’s more diverse and nontraditional student populations,” says student Zia Laboff.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that several programs could be cut, too. The cuts would include the Portland Teacher Program. This program helps students of color become teachers in Portland and Beaverton.

At the same time that PSU raised tuition, it also hired a new temporary president. Rahmat Shoureshi resigned after serving 21 months. There had been controversy over his management of the university. Shoureshi will leave in December, but he will also receive $880,000 over the next year.