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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President Joe Biden has entered a "lame-duck" period, prompting a Michigan political science expert to analyze his potential actions before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

Outgoing presidents typically work on a smooth transition while the president-elect fills key positions. As Biden nears the end of his term, he has approved long-range missiles for Ukraine to strike inside Russia, marking a significant shift in U.S. policy.

Jordan Cash, assistant professor of political theory and constitutional democracy at Michigan State University, examined the possible reasons behind Biden's actions.

"He's trying to find some way to push Ukraine and Russia to a certain end point in the war," Cash explained. "Perhaps to get a final foreign policy victory to vindicate his administration at the end, or perhaps because he fears the way President-elect Trump is going to approach the Ukraine war."

Most political experts agree with Congress divided, it is unlikely much will be accomplished before the new session starts in January. However, they said it wouldn't be surprising if Biden takes other bold or controversial actions as he prepares to leave office.

Cash pointed out while lame-duck periods can have advantages, such as settling electoral disputes or confirming votes, they also come with risks. He warned an extended lame-duck phase, which is typical in the United States, can encourage an outgoing president to make partisan decisions, potentially leading to actions driven more by political motivations than the public good.

"Bill Clinton commuted several dozen sentences, including for Mark Rich, who had been convicted of tax fraud but whose wife was a major Democratic donor," Cash recounted. "President-elect Trump commuted a bunch of sentences including pardoning his former adviser Steve Bannon."

The term "lame duck" originally referred to a financial trader on the London Stock Exchange in the 18th century who defaulted on debts. It was later adapted to describe politicians with reduced influence or authority.


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House lawmakers have passed a bill advocates said will be harmful to nonprofits in New York and nationwide.

House Resolution 9495 passed with a 219-184 vote after failing to get a two-thirds majority in the chamber last week. The bill gives the Treasury Secretary power to rescind tax-exempt status for nonprofits considered "terrorist supporting organizations." On its first vote, it had strong bipartisan support.

Jeff Ordower, U.S. Lead for the group 350 Action, said President-elect Donald Trump's rhetoric about "the enemy within" makes this bill's return troubling.

"They are trying to consolidate the number of tools in their toolbox," Ordower contended. "So they can move quickly to call some people the enemy within and shut down organizations that are supporting causes that are unpopular, supporting causes that are fighting corporate power, fighting structural racism."

Voting in favor of the bill were 15 Democrats, including Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y. It could be due to its other provision giving tax breaks to Americans wrongfully imprisoned abroad or held hostage by terror groups. Ordower noted it is the result of a push by groups who want Israel and Gaza's status quo before Oct. 7 restored, which aid organizations could jeopardize.

Beyond public concern, some experts feel the bill's primary goal is helping President-elect Trump consolidate power within the Executive Branch. Ordower pointed out it is one of the many battles with the second Trump Administration about what defines a healthy and sustainable democracy.

"What we need in order to really have a good fight that defends civil society, that leads us towards and continues some of the ways that are flourishing democracy is to have lots and lots of groups that are able to push their agendas, and not just groups with particular ideologies or point of views doing that," Ordower stressed.

Ordower is surprised by lawmaker's persistence to pass this bill given wars occurring across the world, as well as ongoing economic, climate and immigration issues at home. Some 150 groups including the ACLU signed a letter to House lawmakers urging them to oppose the measure.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce outlined six key priorities for lawmakers ahead of the legislative session in January.

Rather than releasing detailed policy positions, the Chamber emphasized broad focus areas, including workforce, education, economic growth, infrastructure, quality of place and community health.

Phil GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne, House Minority Leader, responded to the Chamber's priorities, highlighting the need to address child care as a factor in economic development.

"We talk about economic development with things that impact economic development here in the state. Child care is really one of those," GiaQuinta contended.

The organization stressed the critical role of affordable child care in workforce development, citing a report estimating Indiana loses $4.2 billion annually, including $1.7 billion in tax revenue due to child care challenges. High costs force some parents out of the workforce, straining the state's economy.

Statehouse leaders acknowledged the issue but differ on solutions. Democrats argued child care deserves more state investment, while Republican leaders believe the private sector should play a larger role.

Todd Huston, R-Fishers, Speaker of the House, said businesses should not expect the state to solve their child care problems entirely.

"They've done a lot of different things to try to support families and young families. We will continue to do that," Huston stated. "But I think we also have to set a level of expectations that we're not going to; the state's not going to be funding all universal pre-K."

The Chamber plans to release detailed policy proposals in January, aiming to guide lawmakers toward strategies to strengthen Indiana's economy and workforce.


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