The Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech) announced today that it will be reducing its 2017-18 tuition rate to a 5 percent increase beginning in fall 2017, instead of the currently approved 8 percent increase. Oregon Tech assured its students earlier this year that their tuition rate increase would reduce by 1% for every additional $20 million of investment by the State beyond the Governor’s budget. This reduction keeps this promise, and is possible based on the higher education budget bill (SB 5524) passed in both chambers of the Oregon Legislature, and expected to be signed by Governor Brown.
Oregon Tech president Nagi Naganathan said, “We are grateful for the investment that the Governor and Legislature have made in Oregon’s students. This is a student-centered budget that continues the momentum of the past few years of a moderate but steady reinvestment in Oregon’s most valuable asset: its highly skilled and educated workforce. This is also an example of how a collaborative and constructive engagement on our campuses can yield great results.”
Oregon Tech students’ 2017-18 tuition bill will now be reduced by an average of $225 (at 15 credit hours). This would also further reduce any borrowing costs that would have accrued on those amounts.
Dr. Lisa Graham, chair of the Oregon Tech Board of Trustees, said, “This budget enables a strong, stable economy for our state through investments in Oregon’s students. They are a large part of the future workforce that promotes state economic and fiscal health. We are pleased to be able to use our state’s additional investments to reduce the financial burden on our students and their families.”
President Naganathan added, “I want to thank Oregon Tech Chief Financial Officer Brian Fox, Vice President of Student Affairs Erin Foley, and the faculty and staff members of our Tuition Recommendation Committee for their special efforts in implementing a collaborative and transparent process that was well appreciated in our state’s capital. Our Government Relations staff, Lita Colligan and Brittany Miles, did a fine job with our legislative advocacy for Oregon Tech’s students and our institution overall. I want to especially applaud our students for their cooperative and constructive engagement in the tuition process both on our campuses and during their visits to Salem. Their excellent ambassadorship is one of the reasons we are able to celebrate this beneficial outcome for all of our students and their families, and for Oregon Tech.”
About Oregon Tech
Founded in Klamath Falls in 1947, Oregon Institute of Technology is the premier public polytechnic institution in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Tech provides bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in engineering, health technologies, business, technology, communication, and applied sciences that prepare students to be effective participants in their professional, public, and international communities through applied, relevant learning and professional practice. Oregon Tech has a full-service, residential campus in Klamath Falls, an urban, industry-focused campus in Wilsonville, an Online campus, and offers degrees at Boeing Seattle and at other sites. Visit www.oit.edu to learn more about Oregon Institute of Technology.
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