Tuition & Fees
Student Burden.
Attempts have been made by some within the Washburn Student Government Association to get students involved in their increasing tuition rates. The "Tuition Justice" proposal (recommending each Washburn employee give $50 for scholarships to help offset the tuition increase) faltered, but students should be concerned about how the University intends to address the astronomical tuition rate increases. More scholarship money is an inadequate method to address the skyrocketing tuition rate. Your share of funding the operation of this University is increasing, going from 36.1% to 46.9% of the educational and general revenues.
36% Tuition Increase.
The cost per semester hour has increased 36% over the past four years.
- Fall, 2001—Freshman paid $110 per semester hour.
- Fall, 2004—Senior paid $150 per semester hour.
160% compound earnings.
Even as tuition is increasing at record high rates, enrollment is also increasing to a record high level. So total tuition and fees collected from students are at record high amounts.
| Year | Tuition & Fees | Indexed Increase |
|---|---|---|
| FY02 (actual) | $19.1 million | 100.0% |
| FY03 (actual) | 22.7 million | 118.8% |
| FY04 (budget) | 26.5 million | 138.7% |
| FY05 (budget) | 30.6 million | 160.2% |
Cost per credit hour decreases.
Financial information available through FY04 indicates that the cost per credit hour actually went down from $350.89 in FY02 to $339.21 in FY03, a decrease of 3%.
Why is the tuition rate so high?
If the cost of providing instruction is decreasing, then where is all the extra tuition revenue being spent?