President Jackson’s letter to campus presented the high points of the budget for the next fiscal year. RPI continues to move forward, making improvements all across the board in spite of an economic climate that’s making most people nervous about spending their money.
Of course, all the wonderful things the new budget proposes don’t come cheap, carrying with them a tuition hike of nearly five percent. Though this is the smallest increase in recent years, this year’s freshmen—and maybe even sophomores—can expect to see the annual cost of their education break $30,000 before they graduate.
And we’re probably not the only ones looking at this trend. The budget calls for a freshman class of about 1,200 for next year. While RPI may not be feeling the bite of a slow economy, prospective students are almost certainly taking financial concerns into consideration. With state-funded financial aid on the decline and unemployment rates climbing, how much higher can we push the cost of an RPI education before too many people start considering other options?
Even with “significant increases” in financial aid, how high can we go before too many people stop even applying because of that big, glowing number labeled “tuition”?
