Nation's tuition rates continue to rise: warnings don't allay shock - Update

University Business, August, 2003

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Slowly but surely throughout the year, officials have been raising tuition rates at colleges Large and small, but no increases garnered as much attention as the 30 percent hikes announced Last month by the California higher education systems. Even though trustees for months have been warning students at California State and the University of California that the state's multibillion-dollar budget deficit was going to translate to higher fees, some were shocked at the steep increase. Officials do highlight one hopeful bit of news: One-third of revenue from the higher fees will be poured into financial aid.

On the East Coast, the Maryland state system created a stir when it announced--after months of wrangling between the governor, other state Lawmakers, and higher ed officials--that tuition will be going up 21 percent.

The increase, also announced in July, reportedly makes some of that state's universities among the most expensive public IHEs in the nation. Maryland made news earlier in 2003 by raising tuition midyear. Observers warn that there are more hikes coming next year.