The cost for an incoming freshman to attend Fairfield University next year is roughly equal to that of a 2004 Audi A4 convertible with heated front seats, six disc CD changer and XM satellite radio.
Tuition for a full-time student including room and board will be $37,200.
Juniors and seniors will pay about $36,720 depending on which type of housing they choose.
This is because of the university’s decision last year to adopt a two-tiered tuition system.
As The Mirror reported last week, tuition will increase 7 percent next year. Including room and board, the increase in total cost of attendance is 6.1 percent.
“I know that every college increases its tuition almost yearly, but it would be helpful to the students if we could see where this money was going,” said Liz Casey ’07. “Then maybe I wouldn’t be as annoyed by it.”
The university gave students a brief overview of the budget and the budget process Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in the campus center, but only nine students were present.
During the presentation, Rev. Aloysius P. Kelley, S.J., the president of Fairfield University, emphasized the problems that come with the budgetary process.
“A university budget is extremely difficult to put together,” Kelley said. “There are a lot of needs and never sufficient resources to meet them all.”
William Lucas, vice president of finance for the university, said the budget committee, which gives Kelley a budget to present to the Board of Trustees, spent a lot of time discussing the tuition increase.
“The committee spends as much time discussing [the tuition increase] as anything else,” Lucas said. “It’s a balancing act, taking into account many factors.”
Lucas also confirmed that the budget committee initially proposed a tuition increase of only 6.2 percent, as reported in The Mirror last week.
“The committee had recommended a 6.2 percent increase in tuition,” Lucas said. “It was eventually changed to a 7 percent increase, with the assumption that the increase would go into the quasi-endowment, with income earned from that going into student financial aid.”
Lucas also emphasized Fairfield’s “fairly heavy tuition dependency,” adding, “Ninety percent of [Fairfield’s] revenues are driven by tuition, room and board and fees.”
Of the 11 Jesuit schools nationwide that have announced tuition increases, the average is 6.7 percent.
Students interviewed by The Mirror were not enthusiastic about the hike in the cost of attending Fairfield.
“Despite rising costs at schools nationwide, it would be great if Fairfield could set a precedent by establishing a fixed tuition rate for students throughout their four years so there are no hidden costs,” said Mike Bazzano ’05.
“I think it is absolutely ridiculous,” said Bill Armstrong ’05. “Not only did they increase tuition last year, cut football and hockey, and are keeping the townhouses at five and seven people to squeeze another 100 people into this school, they are also asking for more money. I am highly skeptical about how money is spent at this school.”
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