The cost of attending Tufts as an undergraduate rose 5.33 percent this year, as the amount the university charges for tuition, room and board and other expenses continued to climb.
The $2,498 jump, to $49,358, tops off a five-year period in which Tufts has raised annual undergraduate charges by over five percent each year. This year's rise is slightly higher than last year's 5.30-percent jump.
Dean of Undergraduate Education James Glaser listed this year's soaring energy costs and Tufts' altered "financial aid profile" as the primary causes for the increase. University officials also cited costly improvements to dorms, classrooms and research facilities, as well as rises in faculty salaries and administrative costs.
Dean of Arts and Sciences Robert Sternberg explained that "the financial situation of the country" — particularly fuel costs that are rising faster than the rate of inflation — has hit Tufts hard. The university's location in the Northeast makes it especially susceptible to fluctuations in energy prices, Sternberg said.
Sternberg also pointed to greater demands on Tufts' budget resulting from increasing competition for faculty and staff as the university gains prestige.
"We're competing for faculty like never before," Glaser agreed. "It all adds up and it's very expensive."
Tuition alone will cost $37,952 for the 2008-2009 academic year, 5.9 percent more than last year. The Office of Admissions estimates that with incidentals like the price of books, personal expenses and other fees included, the total cost of a Tufts education has surpassed the $50,000 mark, totaling $50,512.
This year marks the first time the administration has sent home a letter to parents explaining the rationale behind its decision to raise charges, according to Glaser. Parents received the letter in late June.
"We thought in a time when people are experiencing economic downturn this would be something that we would want to face up to," said Glaser, who is a signatory to the letter along with Sternberg and Dean of Engineering Linda Abriola. "We're not ashamed of it, but we want to explain it."
Since the 2001-02 school year, Tufts has been one of the most expensive of 12 schools in a "comparison group" of colleges determined by the administration; the list includes five of the eight Ivy League colleges. Last year, Tufts' tuition was the most expensive in the group, while the university ranked third to last in total resident charges.
Across the country, the average cost to attend a private, four-year institution rose 6.3 percent in 2007-2008 over the previous academic year, according to a report from the College Board.
Marc Miller, the director of administration and finance in the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences, said that Tufts officials seek to change the rate as little as possible.
"We look at the expenses that go into providing the education and we [make] the minimum increase to balance the budget," he said.
But the rate at which tuition and other fees rise normally outpaces the national inflation rate, as it did this year, when inflation went up 4.19 percent between August 2007 and July 2008.
"Except for those schools that are extremely well endowed, the cost of college tends to go up faster than the increase in inflation," said Sternberg.
The alleged embezzlement of nearly $1 million in university funds by two former Office of Student Activities employees had no effect on the increase in charges, Miller said.
According to Director of Financial Aid Patricia Reilly, Tufts' recent steps to guarantee more financial aid have put a greater demand on the financial aid budget, and in turn on those who pay to attend the university.
"Beginning with the Class of 2012, students from families with incomes of less than $40,000 have no loans, and therefore increased grants, in their financial aid packages," Reilly said in an e-mail. "In addition, since we have been able to accept the last two classes at Tufts as need blind, we have seen [an] increase in the percentage of each class who needs financial aid."
Tufts' various schools change their tuition rates at different paces. Tuition at the School of Dental Medicine, which has the highest of any Tufts school, rose by more than 6 percent to $51,200, while the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy increased the tuition rate of its Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy (MALD), Master of Arts (MA), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs by 5.5 percent to $34,176.
In their letter explaining the tuition increase to parents, the deans explained that the school must strive to keep the quality of a Tufts education on par with the "high value" of a Tufts degree.
"Because of the accomplishments of our people — our students, faculty and alumni — Tufts' reputation continues to grow, and this enhancement has real meaning to our graduates as they pursue their careers," they said.
Jackilyn Spencer, mother of sophomore Abbie, said that the letter's explanation for the charges was insufficient.
"I would like to have a good idea of what that money is going for," she said, noting that she was especially concerned after problems her daughter had with housing last year. "It's sort of like, we're raising it and that's that."
But Spencer added that the additional strain the increase would put on her family was worth it. "Her education is of the utmost importance, and although it's going to be a stretch, it's a stretch we're willing to make."
John Schiller, who has three children at Tufts, echoed those sentiments. His eldest, Zachary (LA '07), attended Tufts as an undergraduate and is now in the biomedical engineering master's program.
Schiller said the discrepancy between inflation rates and tuition rises poses a problem for parents. "I know that this always creates a struggle for people because people's compensation is not necessarily increasing at the same rate," he said. But he too thinks the high price is offset by the value of a Tufts education.
Glaser said a goal of the administration was to keep parents informed. "We're really interested in making sure that we're transparent and that we're communicating well with people. We don't want it to be a surprise," he said.
