Oklahoma policy group challenges move to raise tuition

Most public colleges and universities in Oklahoma are poised to raise tuition next fall, citing another cut in state funding. Higher education's appropriation is down more than $36 million for 2017-18, which means a 6.1 percent cut for each school.

Increasing the cost to students and their families isn't necessary to balance the schools' budgets, said Jonathan Small, president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.

"It shows a huge lack of respect for what those families are going through. We are still in a recession compared to 2014," Small said. "The Oklahoma Tax Commission reported that Oklahoman's taxable income was down $13 billion from 2014-15."

Small said tying tuition hikes to declines in state appropriations is flawed because students don't get a tuition cut in years when state funding increases.

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