April

How will state higher education funding affect MSU Denver?

The impact of a tight state budget

April 12, 2017

Despite overall economic growth, Colorado’s budget is growing tighter. This is due to a convergence of constitutional restrictions and growing pressure in funding for mandatory programs including K-12 and Medicaid.

State funding for higher education institutions is considered optional by lawmakers, and thus can fluctuate significantly. Based on action taken to date, higher education institutions will see a total increase of $20 million for the year beginning July 1, 2017. MSU Denver’s share is a very small portion of this, with an increase of only $211,602. The Joint Budget Committee (JBC) also voted to cap tuition increase at 7 percent for MSU Denver.

In addition to funding distributed to institutions under the state’s funding formula – which includes student head count and performance measures – additional funds are allocated by the state for financial aid. In the coming year, a total of $175.2 million will be dedicated to student financial aid. Despite a very slight increase in the coming fiscal year, state support for MSU Denver makes it the lowest-funded four-year institution on a per-student basis in Colorado. We’ll keep you updated in the Early Bird as more information becomes available.