by Angelique B. D’Silva
Staff Writer
With the University of La Verne moving into the 21st century, tuition is one aspect of how the school will enable itself to become more competitive with other institutions.
Tuition increases, although not favored among students, are essential in order for ULV or any institution to adapt and contend through technological advances that will abet students in the real world.
At its Nov. 4 meeting, the University’s Board of Trustees voted to increase tuition 6.26 percent for the 2001-2002 academic year.
Executive Vice President Phil Hawkey said that the increase in tuition is not a gigantic difference.
The actual tuition will increase from $16,940 to $18,000 next year.
“It is the increased cost associated with the improvements we are putting into a number of buildings,” said Hawkey. “It has to do with salary adjustments we made throughout the organization, including faculty. It has to do with the massive investments we started to make in technological advances.”
ULV’s cost compares favorably to that of other private institutions. Tuition presently for Whittier College is $20,000, the University of Southern California is $25,000 and Chapman University at $22,000 without yearly tuition increases.
Hawkey does admit that the increase in tuition is slightly higher than what all other institutions are employing.
“The average among private institutions is about 5.2 percent,” he said.
The proposed increase was drafted by President Stephen Morgan; Bob Neher, acting vice president of academic affairs; John Gingrich, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; vice president of enrollment management Pat Coleman and Dean of Admissions Lisa Meyer. It was presented to the Board of Trustees on Nov. 4.
Meyer said that in regard to the tuition, the “increase will continue.”
“It is a balancing act between upping tuition and upping family need,” said Coleman.
Hawkey wants students to recognize that one part of the tuition only applies to traditional undergraduate students.
For all the other programs of higher education on or off the central campus, their tuition will also be augmented, but it will be done in varying amounts. The programs will perform an assessment before those decisions are made.
“We are very much aware of the cost for higher education,” Hawkey said.
The University is conscious of what other colleges and universities are doing, he said, and although ULV’s tuition will increase at a rate comparatively higher than other institutions, it is still lower in price compared to those same institutions.
Journalism operations manager at the University of La Verne. Production manager and business manager of the Campus Times.