BIDDEFORD, Maine (AP) — The University of New England says it will freeze employee salaries to minimize further tuition hikes.

The Portland Press Herald reports that the University of New England aims to increase its tuition by 3 percent or below this fall.

The university currently charges $36,300 for tuition alone — up over 10 percent since 2015.

Employees at the university received average pay hikes of 3 percent in 2017 and 2018.

Employees received a 1.6 average pay raise in the current fiscal year.

UNE Vice President for Finance and Administration Nicole Trufant tells Maine Public the savings from the freeze will be about $700,000 or $800,000.

UNE has roughly 4,100 on-campus students and 2,250 online students. The university’s over 1,300 employees include about 570 faculty members.

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