AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – Governor Maura Healey has filed her first budget proposal featuring massive investments in higher education.

Included in this budget proposal is $59 million to fund a four-year tuition lock at UMass and a four-year fee lock at all state universities. Those locks would prevent tuition payments from increasing over the course of a student’s time on campus and provide families with clear financial hurdles so students can stay in school.

Students told 22News that sounds good to them, too.

“I think its a good thing. I think it will get more people to consider UMass as an option and it opens up the possibility of a decent education to more people which is required,” said Ray Kaila, a UMass Amherst student.

The proposal also includes a three-percent funding bump for UMass on top of $140-million in surtax-supplied capital funds for state-wide higher education. The university responded to the announcement with a statement of thanks.

This all part of Healey’s $55.5 billion spending plan for the state for Fiscal Year 2024 which is about a four percent increase over the current budget.