UMass Students Face Potential Fee Hikes

Fees paid by undergraduate students at the University of Massachusetts may be heading up. The UMass Board of Trustees is expected to consider fee hikes of as much as 8 percent at its meeting next month. The increases could bring combined average tuition and fees for in-state students to $11,900 a year.

UMass officials say support for higher education has been cut in the state budget while the five-campus system is also facing the loss of federal stimulus funds.

Meanwhile, collective bargaining agreements for unionized workers are expected to cost the university system $16.7 million.

Gov. Deval Patrick on Monday defended the union contracts but said UMass and the other state universities could still do more to control expenses.