Tuition freeze part of MnSCU budget - KTTC Rochester, Austin, Mason City News, Weather and Sports

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system has approved a budget that freezes tuition.

MnSCU's $1.9 billion budget uses a state funding boost to hold next year's tuition to this year's rate. Fees will stay nearly flat.

The Star Tribune reports combined, tuition and fees will average $7,344 at the seven state universities, just $3 more than last year. At Minnesota's public two-year colleges, the price tag will be $5,360.

More than 200,000 students are enrolled in credit-bearing courses in the MnSCU system.

The board of trustees unanimously approved the 2014 budget, which spends $61.9 million more than in 2013, a 3.4 percent increase. The plan includes a 2.6 percent compensation increase for faculty and staff. It pledges $22 million in reallocations.