NDSU President reacts to Minnesota free college tuition program: "We are concerned"

(Fargo, ND) -- Eastern North Dakota colleges are sounding an alarm regarding the passage of a free college program in Minnesota, but are also signaling the right people are at the table for potential solutions.

WDAY Radio spoke with NDSU President Dr. David Cook regarding the impact of Minnesota's North Star Promise Program  on eastern North Dakota colleges. The North Star Promise Program would allow Minnesota residents to take college courses for free if they make less than $80,000 a year. Dr. Cook says the program has sparked concern within the eastern colleges of the North Dakota University System, largely because of the number of Minnesota residents who take credits within North Dakota colleges.  

"We count on Minnesota to not only populate our college campuses but also populate our workforce needs of our surrounding needs of our communities, "said Dr. David Cook, "There's a possibility that [Minnesota students] could stay in state - potentially for free. We are concerned that we wont be able to import new students for future talented workforce needs that are needed in our state."

Dr. Cook says local colleges were prepared for the passage of the North Star Promise Program, and conversations with local and state leaders are currently underway. Although Dr. Cook did not provide an exact solution when asked, he says the colleges individually must remain adaptive and flexible to change. He emphasized that colleges cannot solve the possible enrollment problems posed by the Minnesota program without cooperation with state leaders. 

"I'm very confident that we're all going to come together and be in good shape here once we work through the process," said Dr. Cook.