Dem Gov Gina Raimondo Fails To Keep Her Word To Rhode Island College Students

March 29, 2018

In January 2017, Democrat Governor Gina Raimondo told students attending the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College that she would make their tuition “free.” A little over one year later, not only is tuition still not free, but it’s rising as a direct result of Raimondo’s latest budget proposal. WPRI-TV reports that the state’s higher education board was forced to raise tuition at URI and RIC “in light of Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo’s proposed state budget.”

After Raimondo failed to get her tuition proposal passed last year when it was gutted by her fellow Democrats to just a “face-saving slice,” Raimondo is now putting forward a budget that is causing tuition hikes on the students of her state. When it comes to improving Rhode Island’s higher education system, Raimondo continues to show that she is all talk and no action as she fails to follow through on her word. Rhode Island students deserve better.

WPRI-TV reports:

“The cost to attend Rhode Island’s four-year public colleges will be going up once again this fall.

The R.I. Council on Postsecondary Education voted last week to raise tuition at both the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College when the new school year begins. The hike is expected to generate a combined $2.8 million in net additional revenue for the two schools.

At URI, undergraduate tuition and fees for in-state students will rise 2.5% to total $14,138, an increase of $346 over this year. The increase for out-of-state students will be 2.7%, or an additional $820, bringing the total cost to $30,862.

At RIC, full-time undergraduate tuition and fees for in-state students will rise 1.7% to total $8,929, an increase of $153 over this year. The increase for out-of-state students will be 1.9%, or an additional $403, bringing the total cost to $21,692.

Tuition will be unchanged at the Community College of Rhode Island.

The postsecondary council had previously voted last November to freeze in-state tuition at URI and RIC. But in a memo outlining the proposed changes, the council’s chairman, Williams Foulkes, recommended revisiting the decision in light of Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo’s proposed state budget.”