This story was updated to include comment from UMass President Marty Meehan’s office.

A coalition of UMass Dartmouth students and union workers is calling on the UMass system’s leadership to halt a planned increase to tuition across all campuses.

Last month, the UMass overseers voted 12-2 to end the pandemic-era freeze on tuition and raise fees by 2.5%.

Heading into the new school year, in-state tuition for undergrads at UMass Dartmouth will be $14,854. The past two years, undergrads paid $14,408.

At UMass Law, students will pay $30,175. The current tuition is $29,511. 

In response, the UMass Unions United Dartmouth coalition is urging leadership to forgo the price hikes and instead look for different solutions “during these economically challenging times.” 

“UMass Dartmouth must reconnect with the local community and make much needed investments in all areas of the campus infrastructure, a place where the students actively live, work, play and learn,” the group said in a statement.

The coalition includes local branches of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the American Federation of Teachers, and the International Brotherhood of Police.

Their request comes nearly one month after students launched an online petition urging UMass System President Marty Meehan and Gov. Charlie Baker to keep the freeze in place “and make the changes it so desperately needs.”

Changes the petition suggests include incorporating input and filling vacancies, investing in on-campus recreational activities, and collaborating with students and workers on addressing campus issues.

The petition also called on officials to respond to what students and workers said they felt was a significant pay disparity between administration and union employees.

According to the letter, university administrators have received up to 11% raises on mostly six-figure salaries, while union employees have received 2% raises on mostly five-figures.

Meanwhile, the petition said, worker healthcare premiums have risen more than 3%.

“The decision-makers in Administration continue to financially thrive while the rest of the campus community struggles to survive,” the letter read.

So far, the petition has amassed more than 18,500 signatures. 

John Hoey, a spokesperson for Meehan’s office, said the tuition bump is “necessary to sustain the academic excellence that have earned each UMass campus national rankings, and provide students with the facilities and services they need and deserve.”

He added that the changes “remain far below the rate of inflation, and do not reflect the record-breaking grant aid that the university provides students.”

A copy of the full letter sent to Meehan is attached to this story.