June 21, 2012

Dear Students and Parents,

I'm writing to update you on action taken by the Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees today regarding tuition and fees.

As always, when considering any increases, our goal is keeping a BGSU education as affordable and accessible as possible while maintaining our high standards.

After carefully weighing and balancing our costs and needs, the Board approved a 3.49 percent increase in tuition and fees for both our Bowling Green and BGSU Firelands campuses. This means full-time, in-state undergraduate students will pay about $175 more per semester in fall 2012.

Although the general fee increase will apply to all students, there will be no increase in the out-of-state portion of tuition for undergraduate and graduate students, and graduate tuition will remain the same as in 2011-12.

I want you to know that we did not make the decision to increase tuition and fees lightly. I understand the financial challenges facing Ohio families. However, BGSU and our sister institutions across the state continue to experience significant cuts in funding from the state of Ohio. Our funding will be reduced by about $2.8 million this fiscal year and has dropped by $23 million since 2010. For more information on our budget and funding sources visit this page.

I also want to assure you that we are not relying solely on tuition and fee increases to achieve a balanced budget. Over the last several years, the University has worked hard to aggressively cut costs, increase efficiency and generate new sources of revenue.

As always, we offer a range of financial assistance through student financial aid, scholarships, student employment, and student money management services. If you need help, please contact any of the above offices.

As I complete my first year as President of the University, I'm extremely proud of the education and experiences BGSU continues to offer, both in and out of the classroom. We look forward to seeing you in August!

Sincerely,

Mary Ellen Mazey, Ph.D.
President