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Boston's Morning Newsletter
How much is UMass tuition going up next school year? Here's a by-campus look
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
The finish line paint is fresh and Team Hoyt is stocking up on pickles. But before we get ahead of ourselves and race toward Boston Marathon weekend, let’s run through today’s news:
Sticker shock: Yesterday, the UMass Board of Trustees voted to confirm a 2.5% tuition and fee hike for all in-state undergraduate students for the 2024-2025 academic year. In-state graduate tuition prices will also jump up 1%-2.5% — and for out-of-staters, 1%-3% — at various campuses, according to reporting from State House News Service. (Room and board costs are increasing up to 4.5%, too). So, exactly how much will students pay next school year? It varies depending on campus and whether students are residents. Here’s a by-campus breakdown of the difference in UMass’s undergrad tuition sticker prices from 2023-2024 to 2024-2025:
- UMass Amherst: For residents, tuition is $17,006; that’s $415 more than last year. For those from out-of-state, tuition is $39,683, $1,156 more than last year.
- UMass Boston: The price for residents is $15,278, that’s $373 more than last year. Those from out-of-state will see tuition set at $37,495; $914 more than last year.
- UMass Dartmouth: The resident tuition is $14,897, that’s $364 more than last year. Tuition for out-of-state students is $31,852, $777 more than last year.
- UMass Lowell: The tuition for residents is $16,246, that’s $396 more than last year. Out-of-state tuition is $35,544, $868 more than last year.
Flash the blue: Massachusetts State Police have begun implementing a new “blue envelope” program to improve interactions with drivers with autism, State House News Service reports. The blue envelopes — which contain participating drivers’ license, registration and insurance information — are a visual signal that someone is on the spectrum, which could help avoid misunderstandings during traffic stops.
- Why it matters: Autism advocates say without proper training, police can sometimes misidentify certain behaviors expressed by people on the spectrum, like stimming or repeating certain phrases. This could potentially lead to a use of force that may have been deescalated if clarity about the driver’s neurodivergence was known from the beginning.
- Step on the gas: The Massachusetts program is based off legislation that garnered Senate approval back in January, but it has not yet gone before the House. “[Police] knew of the blue envelope bill and they’d been helping push it along. But when it wasn’t moving, they said, ‘This idea is too good to let go. We just need to do our own blue envelope,’ ” says Ilyse Levine-Kaji, an autism advocate. “This is a blue envelope that is going to be used until the bill passes.” (Levine-Kaji also wrote a moving commentary for WBUR on this very topic back in 2023.)
- How to apply: Drivers can request a free blue envelope online. Massachusetts safety officials say the envelopes will soon be available at local police departments for free, too.
Pay to ride: Those Bluebike price hikes we talked about last month? They start today. The company said the increased rates will help it better expand across the Boston area and support a new e-bikes rollout.
- What’s changing: According to the city’s bike share program, an annual membership will go from $129 per year to $133.50, and monthly memberships will go from $29 to $30.50. The price for a single ride under 30 minutes will stay the same ($2.95), but rides over 30 minutes are also going up.
- The good news: Bluebikes doesn’t plan on raising the price of its day pass or income-eligible memberships.
Puck drop: Boston College and Boston University are fighting this weekend to become the next national champions of men’s college hockey. Tonight’s Men’s Frozen Four semi-finals are in Saint Paul, Minnesota, starting with BU taking on Denver at 5 p.m. The BC Eagles will play Michigan later at 8:30 p.m. The winner of both those games will meet in the final on Saturday. Here’s hoping for a Boston vs. Boston show down!
P.S.— Flowers are blooming, the weather is warming and spring is here, which means one thing: the return of outdoor beer gardens. Cisco Brewers’ pop-up is brewery is back at the Seaport starting today. You’ll be able to sip on a Whales Tales by the water any day of the week and treat yourself to some yummy bites, including clams, tacos and — new this year — wood fired pizza. The countdown to 4 p.m. begins!
