Overhaul To Make State Schools More Affordable May Not Work, Some Say

One of the questions surrounding Board of Regents Chancellor Jim Petro’s plan to overhaul Ohio’s 14 four-year public universities goes to the heart of whether more Ohioans can achieve their dreams of higher education: Will the plan make college more affordable?

The average undergraduate tuition and fees at the state’s 14 main campuses climbed to $9,217 in fiscal year 2011, up 75 percent over fiscal year 2002, according to the Board of Regents. That puts Ohio tuition costs well above the national average of $6,397.

In a 2008 report card issued by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, Ohio earned an F in college affordability.

Adjusted for inflation, the national average cost of tuition, fees, books and room and board at four-year institutions climbed 115 percent between 1980 and 2010 and 36.8 percent between 2000 and 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Education.