Ted Strickland

Making Higher Education More Affordable

Governor Strickland has worked to make higher education more affordable and accessible to all Ohioans because he recognizes that the jobs of the future will require education beyond high school. Ohio must have a highly educated workforce to compete in the global economy and create the jobs of the 21st century.

Governor Strickland has worked closely with Ohio’s colleges and universities and the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents to expand access to higher education and develop a ten-year strategic plan to revamp Ohio’s higher education system. The plan has already begun helping Ohio develop and retain the talent that will spur innovation, attract industry and ensure future prosperity.

Governor Strickland’s accomplishments include:

• Tuition freezes at public colleges for two years. Governor Strickland froze tuition for two years in his first state operating budget and worked with Ohio’s public colleges and universities to cap tuition increases after that.  This resulted in the lowest rate of tuition growth at Ohio schools in a four-year period since the 1960s. 
• One of the lowest tuition increases in the country. While average prices at 4-year public universities rose 6.5% nationwide, Ohio public universities posted one of the lowest tuition growth rates in the country at 1%. Two-year college tuition rose nationally at a rate of 7.3% while Ohio community colleges averaged only a 0.7% increase in tuition. 
• An affordable, world-class education – within 30 miles of home. In order to increase accessibility, Governor Strickland and the Chancellor of the Board of Regents are working to capitalize on Ohio’s tremendous education infrastructure.  The Governor’s 30 mile promise seeks to ensure that all Ohioans will be able to earn affordable associates and bachelor’s degrees of high quality within 30 miles of their homes. 
• Greater flexibility in earning degrees. The University of Ohio system has seen increases in transferability of credits and course offerings throughout the state that will make it easier and more affordable for Ohioans to earn bachelor’s degrees. 
• More affordable bachelor degrees through community colleges and branch campuses. The University of Ohio’s increases in transferability and course offerings will allow students to start out at low cost community colleges near their homes and then transfer to lower cost branch campuses or to main university campuses.  The flexibility and transferability will dramatically reduce the cost of attaining a bachelor's degree in Ohio and make this path to a bachelor's degree one of the lowest-cost in the nation. 
• The creation of Centers for Excellence to spur innovation in key industries. The University System of Ohio has designated several Centers of Excellence at Ohio’s Public Colleges and Universities.  This eliminates competition for scarce resources between Ohio’s public institutions and allows each institution to focus on becoming a leader in a particular area of study that will help drive Ohio’s economy in key industries.  Ohio’s universities will bring their unique excellence together to collaborate on larger projects, helping to attract talent and investment to Ohio.