State aid to universities has been in decline since the 70s, and the University was one of those who have been affected by the state of Ohio and the operating cost provided to the University.

Sheri Stoll, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for finance & administration, said in the fiscal year 2017 Ohio provided the University approximately $70.7 million.

“We are expecting approximately $1.3 million more in fiscal year 2018, but we won’t know for sure until the budget is completed and signed by the Governor by June 30,” Stoll said.

The decline of aid to the University is mostly because the funds have gone in a different direction according to Stoll.

Along with the decline since the 1970s, the state used to provide 75 percent of the budget to the University, but now they only provide 25 percent.

“This could have occurred because they believe other areas are higher priorities, or it could have happened because they perceive public higher education to be a lower priority than other areas of state budget need. Or it might be because they believe that universities are able to increase tuition to offset reduced state support while K-12 cannot charge tuition,” Stoll said.

Stoll encouraged those with questions to reach out to elected representatives.

“Regardless of all the reasons, the fact is that no state has unlimited resources. Thus elected officials are required to make difficult choices in allocating limited budgetary resources,” Stoll said.

For students, teh decline means paying a greater proportion of the cost to attend college, Stoll said.

“Approximately 75 percent of the cost to attend college in fiscal year 2017 was paid for students and their families while the state of Ohio paid approximately 24.5 percent.”