Students of Cornell’s endowed colleges will have to dig deeper into their pockets when paying next year’s tuition.
During their first meeting of the new year, the Cornell Board of Trustees voted Saturday to increase the tuition rate for the 2001-02 academic year to $25,970 in the endowed colleges. The figure represents a 4.9 percent increase from the 2000-01 fee.
Currently, the endowed tuition is $24,760, which applies to the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Engineering; the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning; and the School of Hotel Administration.
Henrik N. Dullea ’61, vice president for University relations, noted that the Board makes a “very real effort to keep [tuition rates] down.” Next year’s increase is only slightly greater than the 4.2 percent increase between the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 rates, which was the lowest increase since 1965-66, according to Dullea.
“To provide the best possible education in a highly competitive environment, the trustees have approved both this tuition increase and an increase in the payout rate from the university’s endowment,” President Hunter R. Rawlings III said.
“Cornell’s administration and trustees are committed to keeping tuition increases as low as possible, while maintaining the high quality and sound fiscal management of our programs,” he added.
Student-elected Trustee David Mahon ’01 described the process of setting the tuition rate as a balancing act.
“I think the people who put the budget together are sensitive to rising tuition,” Mahon said. “They are doing their best to cover rising inflation … and they are taking into account what the University needs and what students and parents can reasonably pay.”
The Board plans to use the tuition increase, in part, to raise compensation for faculty and staff and expand health benefits for graduate students, according to University officials.
Tuition rates for the statutory colleges, which include the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the School of Industrial and Labor Relations and the College of Human Ecology, will remain unchanged until further review of the budget proposals by the New York State Legislature in Albany, which should occur later this spring.
The Board of Trustees also approved tuition increases for Cornell’s professional schools. The Johnson School of Management’s tuition will increase 6.9 percent to $29,500 and Cornell Law School’s tuition for incoming students will increase by 7 percent to $29,200. Tuition for second- and third-year students will increase to $28,650 and $28,150, respectively.
While students will see a rise in the cost of tuition next year, they will not have to pay higher activity fees. The Board kept the undergraduate student activity fee at $92 for the 2001-02 academic year, and the graduate student fee at $50.
In addition, the Board of Trustees elected Fred Rogers as Senior Vice President Emeritus. Also, Trustee Rebecca Quinn Morgan ’60 and James C. Morgan MBA ’63 officially endowed the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of Human Ecology position.
Archived article by Stephanie Hankin