DU, often referred to as the “Ivy League of the Rockies,” is soon going to increase the cost of tuition by 4.9 percent and room-and-board charges by $540. To many students, this tuition increase is attaching an Ivy League price to their college experience, making college even more unaffordable and increasing student debt. However, although a tuition increase is unwelcomed by many, this additional burden to students is necessary to improve the school over the long-term.
A month ago, a petition was started on change.org by student Kate Karayannis expressing outrage over the tuition increase next year due to the fact that students are unable to apply for an increasing amount of scholarships due to expiring deadlines. The 1,638 petitioners seek one or more of the following solutions to be implemented: a grandfather clause that allows students to continue to pay the amount they initially pay upon admission to DU, detailed outlines of where the tuition increase is going and how it will benefit students and an increase in merit scholarships and financial aid to compensate for tuition increases.
However, these increases are absolutely necessary to improve the university and the administration has already put in place measures to ensure that students do not face a significant financial burden. As stated in the letter from the chancellor and provost, the increase in tuition is necessary to fund more programs that are essential to student life, such as an increase in Title IX programs to counter sexual assault, the quality of student housing, the building of the university’s infastructure and the hiring and retainment of quality professors.
In order to counter these raises in tuition, the university is raising financial aid by 9.1 percent ($13.3 million in financial aid or 63 percent of the new revenue from tuition rates) for the next aid year, which will assist students who are in financial need and significantly impacted by the tuition increases. Students should not fear the worst with these tuition increases, because although a rise in tuition may increase students’ financial burden, the administration will increase financial aid in the short term and long term through the plan presented in Impact 2025 and the professionalizing and expansion of fundraising.
Although students are wary of tuition increases, the administration has taken significant action to ensure students in financial need will not be left behind and deeper in debt. This increase in tuition will significantly increase the services provided on campus and ensure greater opportunities for students in the future. Increased Title IX services, building the infrastructure on campus, retaining top professionals in a variety of academic fields and professionalizing our fundraising efforts are essential services that students have demanded and are necessary for our growth as a university.
Our university has great aspirations of providing quality education to students, and with this small increase in tuition, students will see notable changes on campus and be better prepared for the future. These added costs are essential to ensure DU can compete in the 21st century.
