Puerto Rico's public university system is in disarray. But it's not just because of Hurricane Maria. - LISA BARTFAI , KUOW

Almost nine months after the hurricane, many parts of Puerto Rico’s economy, infrastructure and society remain unstable. Higher education hasn’t been spared, creating uncertainty for many students enrolled at each of the 11 campuses that are part of the island’s public university system, the University of Puerto Rico. Some of the problems at the university predate Hurricane Maria. There were frequent strikes and budget cuts. But the structural damages from the hurricane has exacerbated conditions and will cost the university more than $132 million to fix. Since Maria, a fiscal board overseeing the island’s economy has decided to double the cost of tuition and decrease the university’s budget even further to make up for some of the expenses of the recovery and to counter the country’s debt. This new landscape for public higher education gives young Puerto Ricans, both in the US and on the island, a lot to consider when they go back to school in the fall. http://kuow.org/post/puerto-ricos-public-university-system-disarray-its-not-just-because-hurricane-maria