BU’s Board of Trustees increased next year’s tuition and room and board rate at a combined increase of 3.65 percent, reportedly the lowest percentage since 1969. For the 2010/2011 academic year, the standard tuition rate will rise to $39,314 from this year’s $37,910 and the basic room and board rate will rise to $12,260 from this year’s $11,848.
Announced by BU President Robert A. Brown in a letter to students and parents this past Wednesday, March 17th, the increase was attributed to the state of the economy over the past two years and deemed necessary in order to “remain committed to our goals of offering all of our students the very best educational experiences that we can while advancing BU as one of the best research universities in America.”
The number of applicants for financial aid among incoming students has increased by 12 percent and is being met with an overall financial aid budget increase of nearly 6 percent, according to President Brown’s letter.
These price escalations will occur in the midst of BU’s efforts to recruit new faculty, extend wireless technology across campus, and construct a new East Campus Student Center, according to President Brown’s letter.
Other universities in Boston have announced tuition and room and board increases similar to that of BU. Both Harvard College and MIT will raise undergraduate tuition and room and board by 3.8 percent for the 2010/2011 academic year, according to an article in The Harvard Crimson and a press release from the MIT News Office. Boston College will raise tuition and room and board by only 3.5 percent, according to Boston College’s Office of News and Public Affairs website.
Based off of tuition prices and the basic room and board rate, students will be paying an additional $1,816 next year. In light of this increase, students were asked:
If you had the choice, would you spend the additional $1,816 for personal or academic reasons and how so?
