On Oct. 15, University of Denver students received emails that tuition would be increased by $1,718 a quarter or $5,154 a year by Autumn 2025. Two weeks later, DU announced they would be reducing the staff of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Studies (CAHSS). Roughly a week later, students found out this was just the beginning.
Under DU’s current deficit, they plan on cutting $11 million, 70% of which they plan to cut from CAHSS. All while Chancellor Jeremey Haefner made over $1 million a year. For context, this is almost 22% more than what the chancellor of the University of Boulder, Justin Schwartz, makes despite Boulder experiencing an increase in enrollment while DU’s rate drops.
The emails detailing DU’s financial decisions would leave students to believe that increasing tuition and cutting staff is the only way to provide “top-quality learning experiences.” However, last December, the University chose to reconstruct and expand parts of the Ritchie Center, DU’s area for sports and wellness.
Not only would they be tearing down the racquetball courts to increase space for the weight room, but they would also be replacing various cardio equipment — which had undergone improvements in 2021 — by reconstructing the Selectorized Circuit Zone, where the current cardio equipment sits, and adding an area for mobility and core workouts.
The project is expected to take eight weeks to complete and will likely cost tens of thousands of dollars, at best. I cannot see how these expansions were approved “while making every effort to control costs of operation.”
While students received word that they and the staff would be paying for the University’s deficit, part of what is apparently an incredibly tight budget was spent on unnecessary expansions for nonacademic purposes.
The CAHSS is the “largest academic unit at DU.” Dramatically cutting the budget of the school that supports a considerable amount of the student body will not improve DU’s learning experiences, nor will reconstructing a perfectly functioning gym.
It is disappointing that current students must face tuition increases just to see that money poured into expansions some students will never use while being told the outrageously high tuition is imperative to keep DU afloat.
Not considering the money saved from budget cuts, the University will be raking in an additional $11 million a quarter from a $1,718 increase in tuition across 6,412 undergraduate students. I cannot imagine that a room for core workouts is more important than financial responsibility but if the Ritchie Center’s reconstruction is any indication of the efforts being taken to close the deficit, it is likely flashy expansions will take priority over academics.
The reason DU is experiencing a decrease in enrollment is not the fault of our weight room but rather the weight of tuition.
