Four legislators, three of them newly-elected lawmakers, sent Gov. John Hoeven a letter Thursday asking him to include a two-year tuition freeze in his executive budget.

Republican Rep. Stacey Dahl and Democratic Rep. Corey Mock, both from Grand Forks, signed the letter with Democratic Sen. Mac Schneider of Grand Forks and Republican Sen. Joe Miller of Fordville.

"The recent increase in the cost of obtaining a college education in our state is sobering," the lawmakers wrote in the letter. "Tuition and mandatory fees at the University of North Dakota, for example, have increased by 99.7 percent in just a little over six years."

Hoeven said college affordability will be a part of his budget and that his office will work with the Legislature to address college accessibility next year, noting the 2007 session brought an increase in higher education funding, a tuition increase cap of 5 percent and about $40 million for tuition assistance.

"I don't know if there will be a freeze, but we may limit it to no more than inflation, something like that," Hoeven said, adding another priority is to make sure the universities are quality institutions.

Rep. Ken Svedjan, R-Grand Forks, who chairs the interim higher education committee, said the Legislature is very likely to address tuition increases in the 2009 session.

"I think there is a recognition that tuition, over the years, has gone up," Svedjan said. "And we have a better feel for how our institutions stack up against their peers."

Svedjan said the tuition at the state's two-year schools is much higher when compared to other two-year schools around the country, adding the tuition at the state's four-year schools are on par with their peers.

"We know the university system is coming in with a sizable increase in their budget request, and how that will play with tuition remains to be seen," he said.

Tuition increases were a major issue in the District 42 races, which is where the University of North Dakota is located, Svedjan said.

The letter concluded with the two senators and two representatives arguing that a tuition freeze would allow need-based grants to help more students.

"Given the state's sizable budget surplus and the ever-increasing debt load our students experience, additional tuition increases this biennium are both unnecessary and unwise," the lawmakers wrote in the letter.

(Reach reporter Brian Duggan at 223-8482 or brian.duggan@;bismarcktribune.com.)