Master's students received good news Thursday, as the Graduate School announced it only plans to increase their tuition 4.7 percent per year, compared to the 11 percent increase announced earlier in the week. The plan still calls for an 11 percent increase in fees and doctorate student tuition.
Dean of the Graduate School Lewis Siegel said the original plan resulted from an accounting error and that the new proposal would place the University mid-range among comparable institutions in terms of both master's and doctorate tuition.
The Graduate School had originally calculated the yearly costs of master's students tuition based on students taking 24 units per year--like Ph.D students. But master's degrees generally require 30 units, said Siegel. Because tuition is paid by the unit--three units make a class for master's students--factoring in another six units increased master's tuition by 25 percent. This calculation would have moved the University from its goal of being average to being one of the most expensive schools.
Siegel said he did not realize the error until he was putting together the proposal for Friday's Board of Trustee's meeting, at which he presented the amended plan. He also said publicity surrounding the issue and feedback from students caused the Graduate School to further analyze the plan.
"Of course, I talked to [Graduate and Professional Student Council President] Elayne Heisler all along, but interestingly enough, no one pointed out this issue, which I am kind of embarrassed about," he said.
The Graduate School is increasing tuition and fees to offset growing costs and deficits. With the latest change for master's students, it will be about $250,000 in debt.
"We're a little more in the hole, but we can't charge students outrageous amounts," Siegel said.
When he made the original announcement, Siegel said he would consider grandfathering current master's students, reducing or eliminating the tuition difference.
Tuition will increase for master's students by $30 per course--from $790 to $820--and will probably increase 4.7 percent for the foreseeable future, said Siegel.
Frederick Mayer, director of the public policy graduate program, said he thought the newest plan somewhat alleviated the situation.
"A 4.6 or 4.7 percent increase is not trivial but it is better news than it might have been," Mayer said. "The real issue now will be what kind of financial aid packages we can put together. I am hopeful we will be able to work with the administration and make sure public policy students are not so saddled with debt that they cannot go into public service."
Tyler Gellash, an economics master's and law student, said the decision-making process warranted more feedback from students.
"I think most of us feel relief mainly because there were rumors that it would be a lot worse," Gellash said. "But the way it was brought up and not made public was a shame. It seems as though [the amended decrease] was just out of fear of backlash."
If the plan passes at February's Board of Trustee meeting, it will mark the first time master's and doctorate students' tuition will diverge. The tuition increase has less effect on doctorate students, whose tuition and fees are usually paid for by research grants.
Fees for both groups of students--what Siegel called a head tax--will increase from $1,350 this year to $1,500 next year and then to $1,800 the following year.
"The impact of the fee increase is going to be tremendous on upper-level students," said Heisler, a third-year sociology student. "But they are a particularly hard group to fight for. It is difficult to make people--administration, trustees, students, etc.--feel great sympathy for people who are here for seven or more years."
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