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SIOUX FALLS 鈥� South Dakota students planning to attend Minnesota public schools are facing financial uncertainty after the Board of Regents here quietly ended tuition reciprocity with their eastern-border neighbors late last year.

The Board of Regents (BOR) Academic and Student Affairs Office in Pierre this week alerted high schools that a long-standing shared tuition discount agreement with Minnesota for cross-border students attending their schools is over. The agreement dates back to 1978.

The change eliminates a tuition discount for South Dakota students attending college in Minnesota.

Contributed / South Dakota State University

鈥淭he reciprocity agreement between South Dakota and Minnesota was not renewed for the academic year 2024 鈥� 2025,鈥� BOR鈥檚 System Academic Program Manager Molly Weisgram wrote in an email sent to school guidance counselors Wednesday, March 6. 鈥淥ur state has excellent higher education institutions and opportunities, and our goal as the public university system is to grow South Dakota's workforce.鈥�

BOR made the move to end reciprocity in December, amid the backdrop of Minnesota鈥檚 aggressive tuition subsidization that鈥檚 made college free for tens of thousands of North Star State scholars. At the same time, the South Dakota Regents extended in-state tuition to Minnesota residents.

The shift is intended to attract Minnesotans to South Dakota universities, lowering tuition for Minnesota residents attending a South Dakota鈥檚 regental institutions by about $1,400 a year, according to BOR.

鈥淏y treating new Minnesota students just like students from the other surrounding states, it reduced the annual cost to new Minnesota students, keeping South Dakota competitive when considering overall cost of attendance, even for students who qualify for Minnesota鈥檚 new program,鈥� BOR Vice President Jeff Partridge told The Dakota Scout Thursday.

It also means South Dakotans enrolled now or in the future at Minnesota public universities could have to pay full in-state tuition in the fall. And for those who鈥檝e already committed to being Gophers, Beavers, Dragons, or dozens of other Minnesota higher-ed programs, the late warning is not appreciated 鈥� particularly for parents and seniors who鈥檝e already cut checks.

鈥淲e have already paid admission fees and deposits, selected housing, and even signed a housing contract for next year,鈥� said Erin Pritchett, a Sioux Falls mom whose son is admitted to the University of Minnesota, suggesting the Regents could have considered a delayed-implementation plan or alerted high schools earlier. 鈥淚f the South Dakota Board of Regents made this decision back in December, I am confused as to why people were not notified back then regarding this change?鈥�

BOR contends the public was notified of reciprocity with Minnesota being terminated, citing a Dec. 14 press release announcing Minnesota, Kansas and Missouri being added to the list of states offered 鈥淪outh Dakota Advantage鈥� rates.

The release, though, did not articulate that reciprocity with Minnesota was terminated, saying only that 鈥渢he rates will go into effect for new students enrolled in the 2024 summer term and beyond.鈥�

That, coupled with an update to the Regent鈥檚 website this week explicitly stating Minnesota reciprocity has ended, and BOR鈥檚 first correspondence to high schools casts doubts on BOR鈥檚 efforts to publicize the change in December.

鈥淲e can only answer the questions from our end, and many of your questions will need to be directed to the specific Minnesota institutions,鈥� read the Wednesday email to school guidance counselors. 鈥淲e appreciate your support of students as they navigate this change.鈥�

Emails from The Scout to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education were responded to with a link to the agency鈥檚 website and a referral to the BOR office in Pierre.

The Regents maintain the decision is what鈥檚 best for South Dakota in a highly-competitive enrollment environment among U.S. universities, a motivator for BOR and the Legislature to approve of a fourth consecutive year of tuition freezes at its academic institutions Thursday.

鈥淏y ending the reciprocity agreement, we were able to lower the rate for new Minnesota students, increasing South Dakota鈥檚 competitive advantage,鈥� BOR鈥檚 Communication Director Shuree Mortenson said. 鈥淗ow Minnesota chooses to respond, and the rates it sets for South Dakota students, is not something the South Dakota Board of Regents controls.鈥�

This story was originally published on TheDakotaScout.com.