Hawaii university head proposes tuition freeze, reduction

HONOLULU — The University of Hawaii president has proposed freezing undergraduate tuition and lowering costs for some graduate students.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Monday that the proposal by university President David Lassner is intended to attract more students and keep college affordable.

The proposal posted online would freeze undergraduate tuition at all 10 campuses for three years and reduce graduate tuition by 2 percent for residents and 10 percent for non-residents at the University of Hawaii-Manoa beginning in the fall of 2020.

The university’s Board of Regents is scheduled to consider the plan at its meeting Thursday on Oahu.

The regents rejected a similar proposal in January that sought to cut graduate tuition and keep undergraduate tuition flat by avoiding planned 1% and 2% increases this fall.