DAYTON — Ohio's two-year tuition freeze at public colleges and universities was spared last year from three rounds of state budget cuts for fiscal year 2009. A shortfall estimated to be as much as $7.3 billion for the upcoming two-year budget could put that program in jeopardy.

"I want us to continue to make progress on affordability for as many Ohio students as we can," said Eric D. Fingerhut, chancellor of the Board of Regents. "That doesn't necessarily translate into a specific tuition level."

Fingerhut discussed potential education budget cuts and the progress of Ohio's "Strategic Plan for Higher Education," on Monday, Jan. 5, in a meeting with the Dayton Daily News editorial board.

"We will not back away from any of our goals," Fingerhut said regarding Ohio's 10-year master plan. "We will not say that we will not meet them because of the budget."

Gov. Ted Strickland has protected the core affordability of the University System of Ohio by exempting the state share of instruction and financial aid from budget cuts. "We've also worked very hard to protect research priorities because of the innovation and economic growth responsibilities that those things drive," Fingerhut said.

Fingerhut in December made line item budget cuts of nearly $25 million for the Board of Regents, reducing or eliminating programs that included the Economic Growth Challenge, the Jobs Challenge, Priorities in Collaborative Graduate Education and the James A. Rhodes Scholarship fund.

The Dayton Area Graduate Studies Institute and the Ohio Aerospace Institute, a joint initiative with the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, had budget reductions of 5.75 percent, the benchmark established by Strickland.

Institutions and programs that have increased efficiencies by sharing cost savings and resources across the system had 3.5 percent budget cuts, Fingerhut said.

Ohio is the only state in the U.S. to hold down tuition over two years at public two-year and four-year colleges, according to College Board data.

Ohio ranks third behind California and New York for top tier public national universities, according to U.S. News & World Report.