Mass. Students See Victory in Cost-of-Tuition Battle

AMHERST, Mass. —  Students who occupied a University of Massachusetts building declared victory Saturday after administrators agreed to join their fight against a predicted increase in tuition.

“We just wanted to get the chancellor behind us, and now he is,” said David Nunez, president of the Student Government Assn.

Tuition and fees at UMass-Amherst have soared 167% since 1988. State residents living on campus pay $9,364 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay $15,710.

Several dozen students ended their 14-hour occupation of the admissions building Saturday when Chancellor David K. Scott agreed to oppose any increase in tuition and fees, as long as the state raises the university’s budget allocation 3% to cover inflation.