Students lose at latest numbers game
Average on-campus resident to pay about $19,000 next year due to increases

By Jordan Blum

With all the recent talk on campus about flat-rate tuition, continually rising fees and the lack of increasing scholarships and financial aid, I decided to do a little more research on the subject.

It seems that every year there is a massive tuition hike, which covers university fees, meal plans, books and room and board. The list seems to go on and on. This is definitely not a problem only at our beloved TCU. Across the nation, prices are going up, although not quite as drastically as the increase with flat tuition at our school for next year. However, for the sake of ease and context, TCU will be made the example of the issue.

As a broadcast journalism major, the thought of doing math puts fear in my heart, but I decided to go all out and really delve deep into some research.

Let’s get started. For current students, the hourly credit rate will be $420 next year, which comes to $12,600 for a full year of 15 hours a semester. Add in the $1,500 university fee and the overall tuition costs $14,100, which is up 8.1 percent and more than a grand from last year.

Last year, room and board totaled $4,290 for a year, and the average residence hall room next year will cost $3,740, minus the cost of board, which was conveniently left off the Residential Services Web site. According to previous years in the TCU Fall 1999 Fact Book, board will cost at least $1,200 next year.

Therefore, room and board for next year will average a minimum of $4,940. In the fraternity and sorority houses alone, room and board has doubled in just a little more than five years, which, despite renovations, is ridiculous.

Therefore, the average current student living on campus next year will pay about $19,040. Incoming students will be paying nearly an additional $1,000 for having the poor luck of being born a year too late.

When I came to school here less than two years ago the average cost was $16,160. Already, my tuition has increased almost 18 percent!

You know, the logic here just seems to be a little skewed. One might be compelled to ask how this compares to national averages of inflation. Well coincidentally, I just happen to have those numbers right in front of me.

From 2000 to 2001, the Consumer Price Index (which is notorious for often over-estimating) estimates inflation raised 1.68 percent.

Again, math isn’t my area of expertise, but 1.68 seems to differ significantly from a 9.8 percent increase in tuition and room and board over the course of only one year.

Let me put it another way. In 1990, it cost approximately $10,000 to attend TCU after tuition, fees and room and board. According to the Consumer Price Index, what cost $10,000 in 1990 would cost $13,400 in 2001, assuming inflation rates were followed.

Hmmm, $18,775 seems to be a little higher than $13,400. In fact, it’s a difference of 42 percent. Forty-two percent! I don’t think I can emphasize that number enough. This is so ridiculous it’s almost laughable.

Yes, TCU is a better school now than it was then. Yes, there are more buildings now and, yes, little amenities like the Internet are now provided. But does this account for the more than $5,000 that was subtly added after inflation over the course of a decade?
It’s obvious that TCU isn’t about to lower prices, but if this trend continues, the administration better realize the student body will begin to mysteriously diminish. No offense, but TCU isn’t exactly Ivy League material.

Jordan Blum is a sophomore broadcast journalism major from New Orleans.
He can be reached at (j.d.blum@student.tcu.edu.)

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