Partners for College Affordability and Public Trust released the following statement in response to the decision by the University of Mary Washington's Board of Visitors to freeze in-state, undergraduate tuition following a decision by state lawmakers to allocate an additional $52.5 million to state colleges and universities for tuition moderation, including $957,000 for Mary Washington.

"It's a big deal when a university announces a tuition freeze because tuition hikes have become so routine," said Stacie Gordon, Partners' state advocacy manager. "In offering public institutions over $50 million in new state funding to hold the line on tuition, Virginia lawmakers have created an opportunity to provide students with some much needed financial relief. By recognizing this opportunity and voting to freeze tuition, the University of Mary Washington has taken a step towards increasing college affordability for Virginia families."

In addition to freezing in-state tuition, the Board of Visitors voted to realign the university's rate structure to address an over-pricing of housing and dining programs and increase transparency between student charges and program costs. The decision resulted in a zero percent increase in housing and dining rates, offset by a 14 percent auxiliary fee increase. Read more here.

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