TCU aims to keep tuition low
By Blair Busch
Staff Reporter

Higher education seems to be synonymous with higher tuition costs wherever you go.

The College Board released new information Tuesday comparing the increase for private and public universities. Private school tuition increased six percent for the current academic year, from an average cost of $18,596 to $19,710.

Like many other colleges across the nation, TCU has steadily increased tuition costs every year. For the current school year, TCU increased tuition by 7.9 percent to cost $17,590.

Chancellor Victor Boschini said he is concerned about the rising costs of tuition.

“As an educator, I want education to be affordable for everyone, particularly at the university level,” Boschini said.

Carol Campbell, vice chancellor for finance and business, said administrators have the task of keeping tuition costs low while the costs of providing education are increasing. Private institutions are dealing with three years of a declining stock market and that is a key element for financial support, Campbell said.

“There will be an increase, but I cannot give a range (for increase) right now,” Campbell said.

TCU is still one of the lower-priced private universities in the country. Tulsa University is the only comparable private school whose tuition and fees of $16,835 are lower than TCU’s tuition and fees, Campbell said.

“We will remain a relatively low-cost institution in comparison to other private universities,” Campbell said. “We will make every effort to provide sufficient financial aid.”

TCU keeps tuition and fees low because it is subsidized by the endowment, which is currently at $800 million, Campbell said.

In comparison with other Texas private universities, TCU has the lowest tuition and fees, and Southern Methodist University costs the most with tuition and fees of $23,588. SMU, which cost $11,768 in 1991, has increased tuition by more than 100 percent over the last 12 years, said Morgan Olsen, SMU vice president of business and finance. TCU, which cost $7,696 in 1991, increased tuition and fees by 128.5 percent during the same 12-year time span.

Public institutions increased tuition and fees on average by 14.1 percent from an average cost of tuition and fees of $4,115 to $4,694 for the current year, according to a release from the College Board.

The University of California led the nation with the highest percentage increase for tuition at 39.4 percent for the current academic year, according to the CNN Web site.

Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communication Larry Lauer said TCU trims costs wherever they can to keep costs down.

“We run a very frugal institution,” Lauer said. “We don’t have excess staff or faculty where we do not need them.”

Boschini said he is aware how difficult it is to run a university while keeping costs down.

“I have to fight to keep everything balanced with my desire to keep the place open and running,” Boschini said. “I believe that TCU has done a good job of keeping access in mind.”

Other universities are also increasing financial aid to compensate for the tuition increases. According to the Daily Texan, The University of Texas plans to increase tuition by 13 percent starting in spring 2004. The university will set aside 28 percent of the increase to go toward financial aid.

Lauer said price increases add value to the education students receive at TCU.

“We maintain quality by improving classrooms and lab facilities,” Lauer said. “The cost of maintaining the university adds value to the education.”

Boschini said he wants TCU to remain financially accessible to both current and prospective students.

“The appropriate increase will always be a balance between my issues of access and offering a high quality of high education,” Boschini said.