From high-tech new buildings to high-flying application rates, Tufts has grown steadily over the past few years. While the benefits of these changes are unquestionable, they do not come without a cost.
Soaring national energy costs, construction projects, and renovations have led to growth in another aspect of the University: tuition rates. These and other factors have put pressure on Tufts' already struggling endowment.
Taking inflation into account, the average cost of attending state universities in Massachusetts leveled off in 2000 after steadily decreasing over the previous four years. But tuition at Tufts - which tracks its fees against 20 benchmark universities, including Boston-area schools such as BU and BC - may be on the rise.
After hovering at second highest in the nation during the early 1990s, Tufts' tuition rate dropped to ninth between 1990 and 1995, only to rebound to number six in recent years.
Much of this has to do with Tufts' endowment, which is relatively low in comparison to American universities of its size and stature. Because tuition fees comprise a large portion of the endowment fund, Executive Administrative Dean of Finance, Budget, and Personnel Wayne Bouchard explained that it is difficult to maintain a balance while limiting tuition hikes.
"Since tuition fees are our primary source of income, this has put pressure on our budget," he said. "We are at a disadvantage because of the size of our endowment. The long term issue is that we do need to raise money."
Bouchard said he is confident that student concerns will be reflected in the upcoming budget meeting, adding that no increases are planned for next year's tuition rate. "Because of our concern to try to keep costs down, I would not expect a rise much higher than what we've seen in the past years," he said.
Tufts can keep tuition costs down, Bouchard said, because the money in the endowment has been put to more efficient use. "We've doubled the book budget," he said. "Technology was exploding and there was tremendous investment in infrastructure, facilities, and classrooms."
He also cited complications resulting from the nationwide economic slowdown, and cited President Larry Bacow's commitment to "capital campaigns and resources that will best help our priorities" as evidence of Ballou's focus on expanding Tufts' endowment.
There has been upward pressure on tuition rates across the nation in wake of the broad economic slowdown. Budgetary problems in Massachusetts have led officials to warn that student costs for state schools may soon be on the rise.
Due to a federal government stipulation that has been in effect since the early '90s, universities cannot communicate with each other about tuition policies. But Bouchard said that Tufts' tuition costs have historically been similar to comparable schools - even those with larger endowments.
"We have always been very close to the average of schools with large endowments," he said. "If we had their resources, there'd be little doubt that our tuition fees would have less pressure to rise."
In the meantime, the financial aid department has seen an increase in the amount of requests for reviews by students affected by the economic slowdown. "Our commitment is still to reassure their need to help them stay in Tufts as well as try to meet the need of all admitted students," Bouchard said.
