Dive Brief:
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The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees is poised to approve a new information technology fee this week that would cost students $250 per year.
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Mass Live reports the board’s committee on administration and finance approved the fee last Wednesday, planning to use the money to improve the IT networks at Amherst, Dartmouth, Lowell, and Boston campuses.
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While students are protesting the cost increase, administrators argue the system needs an upgrade to replace old equipment and create greater capacity to handle exploding internet use on campus and regular hacking attempts, according to the article.
Dive Insight:
Data compiled by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center shows continued state disinvestment in higher education since 2001. With spending adjusted for inflation, Massachusetts cut funding by 25% between 2001 and 2014, or $366.1 million. Since a 2012 low, the state has been spending more each year but the public university system is still turning to students to cover the costs of needed tech improvements.
According to Mass Live, the university system expects to raise $10.6 million in the 2015-16 academic year across four campuses with the new technology fee. As schools across the country struggle to defend their networks against cyberattacks, the upgrades are truly necessary.