UMass students' sticker shock

Also: Wu seeks budget increase; 5 things to do this Boston Marathon weekend [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  April 11, 2024 ☂️ Cloudy, with a high near 56 and showers likely. Good Morning Boston, The [finish line paint]( is fresh and Team Hoyt is [stocking up on pickles](. But before we get ahead of ourselves and race toward Boston Marathon weekend, let's run through today's news: - Sticker shock: Yesterday, the UMass Board of Trustees [voted to confirm]( a 2.5% tuition and fee hike for all in-state undergraduate students for the 2024-2025 academic year. In-state graduate tuition prices will also jump up 1%-2.5% — and for out-of-staters, 1%-3% — at various campuses, according to [reporting from State House News Service](. (Room and board costs are increasing up to 4.5%, too). So, exactly how much will students pay next school year? It varies depending on campus and whether students are residents. Here’s a by-campus breakdown of the difference in UMass’s undergrad tuition sticker prices from 2023-2024 to 2024-2025:  - UMass Amherst: For residents, tuition is $17,006; that’s $415 more than last year. For those from out-of-state, tuition is $39,683, $1,156 more than last year. - UMass Boston: The price for residents is $15,278, that's $373 more than last year. Those from out-of-state will see tuition set at $37,495; $914 more than last year. - UMass Dartmouth: The resident tuition is $14,897, that's $364 more than last year. Tuition for out-of-state students is $31,852, $777 more than last year. - UMass Lowell: The tuition for residents is $16,246, that's $396 more than last year. Out-of-state tuition is $35,544, $868 more than last year. - Flash the blue: Massachusetts State Police have begun implementing a new "blue envelope" program to improve interactions with drivers with autism,[State House News Service reports.]( The blue envelopes — which contain participating drivers' license, registration and insurance information — are a visual signal that someone is on the spectrum, which could help avoid misunderstandings during traffic stops. - Why it matters: Autism advocates say without proper training, police can sometimes misidentify certain behaviors expressed by people on the spectrum, like stimming or repeating certain phrases. This could potentially lead to a use of force that may have been deescalated if clarity about the driver's neurodivergence was known from the beginning. - Step on the gas: The Massachusetts program is based off legislation that garnered Senate approval back in January, but it has not yet gone before the House. "[Police] knew of the blue envelope bill and they'd been helping push it along. But when it wasn't moving, they said, 'This idea is too good to let go. We just need to do our own blue envelope,' " says Ilyse Levine-Kaji, an autism advocate. "This is a blue envelope that is going to be used until the bill passes." (Levine-Kaji also wrote a [moving commentary for WBUR on this very topic]( back in 2023.) - How to apply: [Drivers can request a free blue envelope online.]( Massachusetts safety officials say the envelopes will soon be available at local police departments for free, too. - Pay to ride: Those Bluebike price hikes we [talked about last month]( They start today. The company said the increased rates will help it better expand across the Boston area and [support a new e-bikes]( rollout. - What's changing: [According to the city's bike share program]( an annual membership will go from $129 per year to $133.50, and monthly memberships will go from $29 to $30.50. The price for a single ride under 30 minutes will stay the same ($2.95), but rides over 30 minutes are also [going up.]( - The good news: Bluebikes doesn't plan on raising the price of its day pass or income-eligible memberships. - Puck drop: Boston College and Boston University are fighting this weekend to become the next national champions of men's college hockey. Tonight's Men's Frozen Four semi-finals are in Saint Paul, Minnesota, starting with BU taking on Denver at 5 p.m. The BC Eagles will play Michigan later at 8:30 p.m. The winner of both those games will meet in the final on Saturday. Here's hoping for a Boston vs. Boston show down! P.S.— Flowers are blooming, the weather is warming and spring is here, which means one thing: the return of outdoor beer gardens. Cisco Brewers' pop-up is brewery is [back at the Seaport starting today](. You'll be able to sip on a Whales Tales by the water any day of the week and treat yourself to some yummy bites, including clams, tacos and — new this year — wood fired pizza. The countdown to 4 p.m. begins! Meagan McGinnes Assistant Managing Editor, Newsletters Hanna Ali Associate Producer, Newsletters  Support the news  The Rundown [Former Mass. city councilor accused of having explicit images of a child apparently joined Russian army]( A U.S. Air Force veteran who fled a charge of possessing sexually explicit images of a child told his lawyer he joined Russia’s army. And video appears to show him signing documents in a military enlistment office in Siberia. Wilmer Puello-Mota is also a former elected official in Holyoke, Massachusetts. [Read more.]( [Former Mass. city councilor accused of having explicit images of a child apparently joined Russian army]( A U.S. Air Force veteran who fled a charge of possessing sexually explicit images of a child told his lawyer he joined Russia’s army. And video appears to show him signing documents in a military enlistment office in Siberia. Wilmer Puello-Mota is also a former elected official in Holyoke, Massachusetts. [Read more.]( [Boston mayor seeks budget increase amid expected revenue shortfall]( The $4.6 billion budget represents an 8% increase, driven by more spending on education, housing and city operations. [Read more.]( [Boston mayor seeks budget increase amid expected revenue shortfall]( The $4.6 billion budget represents an 8% increase, driven by more spending on education, housing and city operations. [Read more.]( [Boston set to rename a school for Ruth Batson, a force for equitable education]( Batson is just the latest in her generation of Black Boston activists to be honored by a BPS school. The district’s McKinley schools were rededicated to Mel King last year. [Read more.]( [Boston set to rename a school for Ruth Batson, a force for equitable education]( Batson is just the latest in her generation of Black Boston activists to be honored by a BPS school. The district’s McKinley schools were rededicated to Mel King last year. [Read more.]( [Mass. House proposes budget in time of 'choppy waters']( The budget announcement comes amid a tightening fiscal climate. A proposed 3.3% increase over last year's spending comes in below the 3.7% increase Gov. Maura Healey floated in January. [Read more.]( [Mass. House proposes budget in time of 'choppy waters']( The budget announcement comes amid a tightening fiscal climate. A proposed 3.3% increase over last year's spending comes in below the 3.7% increase Gov. Maura Healey floated in January. [Read more.]( [Consumer Reports asks USDA to remove Lunchables from schools' lunch menus]( The group found high levels of sodium and the presence of heavy metals in meal kits it tested. A Kraft Heinz spokesperson said all of its products meet strict safety standards. [Read more.]( [Consumer Reports asks USDA to remove Lunchables from schools' lunch menus]( The group found high levels of sodium and the presence of heavy metals in meal kits it tested. A Kraft Heinz spokesperson said all of its products meet strict safety standards. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - From pre-race pasta dinners to post-race parties, check out arts and culture reporting fellow Solon Kelleher's top picks for Boston Marathon fun [in this roundup of things to do around Boston this weekend.]( (If the marathon isn't your thing, Solon has some other picks to get you out and about in a different way, too.) - Cognitive biases can effect how we interpret interactions, situations and even each other. [In this segment of NPR's Fresh Air]( author and podcast host Amanda Montell says in an age of misinformation, it's important we take a step back to assess why we believe certain things — instead of falling into "magical overthinking." - If you liked that segment, [you won't want to miss Montell at WBUR's CitySpace on Saturday, April 13.]( - "Civil War," a new film from director Alex Garland, starts with a provocative scenario. The U.S. has been launched into a Civil War, while being presided over by a unnamed, authoritarian commander-in-chief (played by "Parks and Rec" alum Nick Offerman). However, it's mostly "a movie about an ideological conflict in which ideologies are never discussed," [writes Sean Burns in his review of the film.]( - Like many refugees adrift in the world today, the Liberians that Sasha Chanoff met in Ivory Coast were not allowed to work, and for most there was no school. With nothing to do and no place to go, weeks, months and years merged, he writes [in this Cognoscenti commentary](. Time lost meaning and one particular board game became their favorite activity.  What We're Reading 📚 - The urban-rural death divide is getting alarmingly wider for working-age Americans ([Ars Technica]( - NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust ([NPR]( - They’re young and athletic. They’re also ill with a condition called POTS. ([The Washington Post](  Food For Thought [Boston’s Top Spots For Delicious Passover Food (Eater Boston)]( From ceremonial seder to full vegetarian menus, and everything in between. Here are the best restaurants to check out ahead of Passover's start on April 22. [Read more.]( [Boston’s Top Spots For Delicious Passover Food (Eater Boston)]( From ceremonial seder to full vegetarian menus, and everything in between. Here are the best restaurants to check out ahead of Passover's start on April 22. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common looks into the intersection [between climate change and LGBTQ+ activism.]( Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: [Someone missing a boat?]( Correction: In yesterday's newsletter, we incorrectly named one of Spirit's new flights from Boston as going to North Carolina. It's indeed going to South Carolina. Apologies for the typo! 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 🔎 Explore [WBUR's Field Guide]( stories, events and more. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news    Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2023 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.