MN-WI reciprocity payment differences lower than reported

Sandy Connolly of the state Office of Higher Education says yesterday's Pioneer Press editorial about the Minnesota-Wisconsin reciprocity agreement on in-state tuition has its numbers off:

While it is true that there is a $3,300 difference this year between U of M - Twin Cities resident tuition and fees and UW-Madison resident tuition and fees, that does not mean Wisconsin residents will face a $3,300 increase in charges at the U of M Twin Cities this coming fall.

The reciprocity agreement with Wisconsin only covers tuition charges, so Wisconsin residents have always been paying the reciprocity tuition rate plus the general fees charged by the U of M. Thus, they will only face an overall increase of about $1,400 (2010-2011 rate figures).

At MnSCU campuses, the difference between the MN resident rate and the corresponding WI resident rate is much less dramatic.

At MnSCU state universities, the difference between the MN resident rate and WI resident rate is, on average, around $269 per year for a full-time student, ranging from $0 at some campuses to a high of $755 at Bemidji State University. At MnSCU two-year institutions, the difference between the MN and WI resident rates averages about $150 per year, ranging from $0 at some campuses to $410 at MN West College.

(All of these are based on 2010-2011 rates, since we don’t yet know rates for 2011-2012.)

Not sure that would change the PiPress' overall stance on the matter, though.

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