Ferrari says flat tuition to aid students
New plan expected to increase graduation rates

By Carrie Woodall
Staff Reporter

Chancellor Michael Ferrari said changing tuition at TCU from a credit-hour fee to a comprehensive flat rate a semester will encourage students to graduate in four years.

“I have noticed that our four-year graduation rate is relatively lower than places like (Southern Methodist) and others,” Ferrari said. “Too many of our students take five or more years for a degree as if they were attending the University of Texas.”

Susan Campbell, director of institutional research, said the average graduation rate for TCU’s entering freshmen after four years is approximately 40 percent, the remaining students graduate after five or six years.

Carol Campbell, vice chancellor for finance and business, said the comprehensive tuition could begin as soon as fall 2001, depending on Friday’s Board of Trustees meeting.

“Comprehensive tuition encourages a higher four-year graduation rate, reflects the total TCU educational experience and is consistent with TCU’s mission and aspirations as a major private university,” she said.

Most private institutions in the nation have a stated fee for the semester for a full-time student. Credit-hour charging is found primarily in public institutions, not private ones. The current pricing plan at TCU has worked reasonably well for years, but it makes TCU look and feel like a public university, Ferrari said.

“I believe that Baylor and TCU are the only private institutions with credit-hour tuition in Texas,” he said.

Adrianna Wright, a sophomore interior design major, said working at a part-time job, studying and extra-curricular activities will not allow her the time to take advantage of the proposed comprehensive tuition.

“I understand the reasoning for the flat rate tuition,” she said. “However, I started into my major late, so taking more than 15 hours a semester would not necessarily mean that I will graduate in four year or less.”

Campbell said the flat rate would reflect the price of taking 15 hours a semester when a student might actually take more or less than 15 hours.

Ferrari said the flat rate encourages people to take more than 15 hours.

“It gives students taking more than 15 hours a semester a real price benefit and incentive,” he said.

A potential disadvantage is that instructional costs may rise if students register for significantly more courses a semester.Ferrari said TCU must develop a special rate for part-time students, and there may be some uncertainty in student course selections during the transition year.

Brian Tulbert, a junior finance major, said the flat rate is a great idea because it seems there are too many people taking too long to graduate. Also, he said students will end up paying the same amount as they do now if they take less hours one semester and then more the next with a flat-rate tuition.

“I think a comprehensive tuition would encourage double majors which would create more well-rounded students, and that is what TCU is about,” Tulbert said.

Chad Underwood, a freshman premajor who plays baseball for TCU, said as an athlete, the comprehensive tuition may hurt him more because he cannot take excessive amounts of classes during baseball season.

“I add in hours during the summer instead of trying to increase semester hours,” Underwood said.Ferrari said charging students for 15 hours — even if they were only enrolled for 12 hours — would cause students to want to finish in four years.

“For students taking fewer hours, it has some disadvantages,” he said. “But again, given the kind of private university TCU is, it is my hope that students will see the value of earning a degree in four years and getting the best possible economic value for the investment.”

He said a semester fee also helps reduce the tendency of a university to have numerous add-on fees. This does not mean they are all eliminated, but they are greatly reduced, Ferrari said.

“We hope the flat-fee tuition will encourage more students to take 15 hours a semester on average, which is usually the number to graduate in four years,” Ferrari said. “The comprehensive tuition also helps promote the total educational experience at TCU and the value of a TCU education.”

Carrie Woodall
cdawn1@aol.com