by Emily Low
Staff Writer
With the arrival of the new academic year, tuition at the University of La Verne was moved up yet another notch, with undergraduate students paying $1,000 more than they did last year.
University Vice President Phil Hawkey cites increased costs such as new hires, rising salaries, workers compensation, health care coverage, new technology and expansion of programs and facilities as reasons for the tuition increase.
The University must increase revenue in order to cover the growing expenses, says Dean of the School of Business and Public Management, Gordon Badovick.
Badovick said that revenue for ULV comes almost entirely from student tuition.
But this is not the only reason tuition increases. Every year a study is conducted of other private institutions similar to La Verne, Hawkey said.
If other universities are increasing their tuition, Hawkey said we must follow their lead.
“The University wants to maintain its position as a competitive and respected institution among private colleges in the region,” Hawkey said.
Badovick said that it is a matter of perception and marketability.
“We try to maintain our tuition with that of peer schools because, frankly, quality perceptions depend upon price,” Badovick said. “If something is priced high, it is perceived as quality. If other schools raise tuition and we don’t, people will wonder why, as well as if our school is really as good as the others.”
It could be worse. “Other schools have raised tuition substantially more than we have,” said Badovick.
But do not expect tuition to stay at its current $20,500 for long, said Badovick. Regular investment is necessary to remain competitive, meaning increases in tuition.
“Technology is a continuing investment that has been underway and will continue,” says Hawkey. “Technology is one of our biggest costs because it is changing rapidly and it is difficult to keep up,” said Badovick.
With all these expenses affecting the price of tuition, many students look for matching increases in financial aid awards.
Although overall awards were down this year, there are still a number of University-funded scholarships available.
“The amount the University gives by way of name scholarships has been substantially increasing,” Hawkey said. “But there has been no change in merit awards. We are going through a transformation of the financial aid process.”
Most students agree that rising tuition is necessary but would like to see more tangible benefits.
“I feel an increase in tuition is needed in order to advance school resources for students and faculty, but to tell you the truth, I have not really seen anything to show for the increase,” said Robert Thurman, a senior communications student.
