House/Senate higher ed bill comparison: Caps on tuition increases

Senate: no caps on tuition increases, and an amendment on the Senate floor to add a cap failed. Stimulus money must be used to minimize tuition increases.

House: caps resident tuition increases at 5% and requires stimulus money be used to buy the increase down to 2%.

Implications for MSUM: Tuition caps written in as a percentage put us at a disadvantage compared to other state universities because our tuition is relatively low, so a 5% increase here doesn't generate as much money as 5% elsewhere, and institutions vary in the ratio of tuition to fees. Language which allowed the flexibility to accomodate those institutional variations while preserving the spirit of keeping costs low would be helpful.