By John Hilber / Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi reporting for the Kent State NewsLab-Ohio News Connection Collaboration.

In the last 21 years, in-state undergraduate tuition and fees for some public universities in Ohio have doubled or more than doubled, according to Ohio Department of Higher Education data from 2003 and 2024

As tuition has climbed, the department’s records show the number of students enrolled in Ohio public universities has decreased by nearly 47,000 from 2020 to 2023.

“We’ve already seen low enrollment,” said Piet van Lier, a senior researcher at Policy Matters Ohio. “We’ve seen enrollment drop over the past four years. It has to be, in part, because it costs more to go to school than it used to.”

Through the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s data, schools like Kent State University and Ohio State University have seen sharp increases in tuition prices since 2003. Kent State has gone from an average yearly tuition price of around $6,374 in 2003 to $12,845 this year, while Ohio State has gone from $5,691 per year in 2003 to $12,859 this year.

In Ohio, the tuition rates of public universities are decided and set by university-level boards, such as the Board of Trustees, and the boards take into account factors including state funding (per-student appropriations), rising institutional costs (salaries, maintenance, utilities), and incoming student enrollment rates.

“Per-student allocation from the state that pays for higher education has dropped,” van Lier said. “What this means is that students have to pay more of that in the form of tuition. Schools are getting less aid and less support in terms of public dollars from the state, and that means their option is they have to increase tuition.”

College tuition, alongside state funding, helps universities cover their expenses.

“A significant portion of tuition revenue is allocated to paying faculty and staff salaries, instructional materials, and other costs directly related to teaching and learning,” Aaron Horn, associate vice president of policy research at the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, said in an email. “Tuition revenue, along with other revenue sources, can help support a range of institutional needs, including administration, student support services (such as advising, counseling, career services, and mental health services), financial aid, campus maintenance and technology.”

Horn says the cost of these services has increased over time significantly, making tuition rates go up as well to help cover the cost. And when enrollment falls, university revenue does too.

“This total revenue influences how much an institution can invest in academic quality; student support services such as advising, tutoring, mental health services, and career counseling; infrastructure; and financial aid,” Horn said. “Institutions with higher and more stable revenue are generally better positioned to support positive student outcomes such as timely degree completion, whereas those facing revenue shortfalls may struggle to maintain the same level of support and quality.”

The increasing rates of higher education is impacting students to do more in order to afford schooling, including taking out loans and working more jobs.

“Around 70% of the students that we do work with do have college affordability issues, meaning that they do take out large amounts of loans in order to access school,” said Mary-Pat Hector, the CEO of Rise, a national nonprofit organization focused on politically empowering students. “And many of them do work two to three jobs in order to attend school.”

According to Urban Institute, 30-40% of undergraduate students take federal student loans in any given year, and the student loan debt in the United States is around $1.753 trillion. In 2019, about 36% of students took out student loans.

To work on lowering the student loan debt, in 2022 42.4% of full time undergraduate students have a job while enrolled in school. Five years ago, the percentage of undergraduate students with jobs while enrolled in school was similar at a 44.5% rate.

For van Lier, there is growing support to offset the tuition imbalance in the state, and one way to do that is to maximize the potential of state programs.

“One of the things we often highlight is the Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG), which is the state’s main way of providing need-based financial aid,” he said. “Ohio really should be changing how OCOG is structured, so people who choose the most affordable options for their post-secondary education are going to be able to access the OCOG money.”

The fight for truly affordable higher education rates is still ongoing for Hector, but she believes the fight is worth it.

“I think more individuals will be able to access, of course, school,” she said. “More of us will be able to compete globally with other countries that really value education and investing in the next generation of their citizens. And I think more Americans will be able to live out the American dream.”


This collaboration is produced in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.


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A new report showed adhering to prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements can greatly enhance the tax incentives for clean energy projects in Pennsylvania using Inflation Reduction Act funding.

The Ohio River Valley Institute report focused on the economic impact of enhanced or full rate credits for clean energy production in Appalachia, including Pennsylvania.

Ted Boettner, senior researcher for the institute, said enhanced credits can double the amount of credit companies receive, especially for existing projects with high labor standards.

"What we found was that there are about 57 clean energy projects in the region that represent about a little over $5 billion in capital investments," Boettner reported. "Most of these are solar projects, a couple wind projects, small hydropower projects and a couple battery projects."

The report found the U.S. Department of Labor has identified 76 clean energy projects in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, including 57 projects in preconstruction which could potentially qualify for enhanced tax incentives and create up to 10,000 jobs.

Boettner noted the report strongly suggested using unionized labor, better wages and hiring apprentices is economically impactful for projects. The approach not only boosts local economic impact but also fosters a skilled workforce, ensuring a sustainable future for the region.

"There are a lot of benefits, especially from the apprenticeship utilization requirement," Boettner explained. "They're requiring the projects to have about 15% of the workers that are on the job site to be in an apprenticeship program. And this ensures that we're paying good wages for workers that are there, but we're also encouraging investment in our apprenticeship programs."

Changes to the administration in November could lead to a rollback of the Inflation Reduction Act, including enhanced credits. Boettner pointed out the rollback could hinder investment in clean energy and promote low-wage labor practices, contradicting the law's goals. The uncertain future of the law and its credits is of concern, particularly under a potential Trump administration.

As the fall harvest season inches closer, Wisconsin farmers are hoping for promising yields but if the rural roads around them are crumbling, the outlook could change.

A state funding program is trying to make it less of a problem. Gov. Tony Evers' office just announced a second round of grant opportunities under the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program. Local communities have until Sept. 30 to sign up for project money, with $100 million up for grabs.

Julie Bomar, executive director of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, said many large trucks and farm equipment have trouble navigating certain county roads because of the shape they are in.

"In the era of corporate consolidation, it feels oftentimes like larger co-ops and corporations that are picking up milk just want to have the easiest route possible and don't want to get far off of the major highways," Bomar observed.

She suggested smaller dairy farms need every competitive advantage to stay profitable, and a smoother road for trucks hauling their products is one of them. Herd sizes have remained stable but federal data show the number of Wisconsin dairy farms has decreased by 30% since 2017.

It is not just traditional infrastructure, like roads, needing attention with Bomar arguing policymakers cannot lose sight of the processing gap felt by smaller- to mid-sized farms.

"Many of our members feel incredibly frustrated because there's nobody to choose from," Bomar explained. "There's only like one milk processor that's going to come by and pick up and that just leaves them in a very risky situation."

She wants to see rural processing facilities expand and be maintained. Back in June, a top U.S. Department of Agriculture official visited Wisconsin to announce $12 million in grant funding for the purpose. As for the state road repair program, the first round of funding awarded nearly $50 million, supporting 37 road improvement projects around the state.


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Nearly 100 local groups, officials and labor leaders welcomed federal and agency representatives to Sault Ste. Marie for a two-day discussion and listening session.

The meeting focused on fostering economic growth in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Michigan. The gathering organized by United Today, Stronger Tomorrow, and other community groups, highlighted promoting and accessing federal programs to meet community needs, such as lack of affordable housing and job creation.

Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Ste. Marie Visitors Bureau, feels the listening session was a huge success.

"What I saw was information being shared with many that hadn't been is shared before; how can we work together to help you?" Hoath observed. "I think it was one of the best things that has happened in the eastern UP in a very long time."

The historic funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and American Rescue Plan Act provided more than $650 million in the Sault Ste. Marie Lock and Dam rehab project and $2 million to upgrade the International 500 Snowmobile Race Track for year-round use.

During the listening session, participants identified barriers to federal investments in UP communities and drafted recommendations for the administration and federal agencies. They also learned about funding streams, formed community partnerships and built relationships with key officials.

Kalvin Carter, program director for Up North Advocacy, appreciated the discussion.

"It meant a lot to see them come into our small rural town and listen to us and help us strategize ways that we can use this historic investment wisely," Carter emphasized.

The goals of the listening session were to provide detailed feedback on federal funding flow, build a strong, well-paid workforce, transition to a new clean-energy future and continue collaboration beyond the session.


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