SANTA FE – Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez issued the following statement regarding tuition and fee increases at public colleges and universities in New Mexico:
“Higher education institutions understand the impact of raising tuition and fees and the consequences are clear. These increases impact students, families and the state as a whole. With New Mexico’s investment in higher education, there is no justification for shifting additional costs onto the students we serve.
Access and affordability are not optional in New Mexico, they are the foundation of our higher education system. At a time when the state has made historic investments in students through programs like the Opportunity Scholarship and Lottery Scholarship, colleges and universities must do their part to ensure those investments truly benefit our students.
These scholarships are designed to remove financial barriers for students, not to be offset by increases in tuition and fees that are then charged to the state. Increasing tuition and fee costs undermines the very purpose of these programs and places an unnecessary burden on New Mexico families.
Students across our state are already navigating rising costs of housing, food, transportation and other basic needs. Increasing tuition or fees in this environment only deepens those challenges and puts educational attainment further out of reach for those who need it most.
While we recognize that colleges and universities face real financial decisions, now is the time to prioritize students and protect affordability. I urge our governing boards and public higher education institutions to hold the line on tuition and fees and to remain aligned with the state’s commitment to accessible, high-quality and truly affordable higher education.
New Mexico has made a promise to its students. We expect our educational institutions to uphold it.”