Times are tough.
Our national economy is on the mend, but Americans are still reeling from the worse recession since the Great Depression. Healing will be slow. Recovery is a long way off. In this economic environment, the last phrase families paying college bills want to hear right now are the words “tuition increase.” That’s why it’s too bad AU’s tuition went up $1,640 this year, increasing by 5 percent. That spike is even greater than the national average among private schools, which is $1,096.
No one is pleased by any of this. College is expensive enough. But the truth is, AU has done an excellent job managing its money during these tough economic times and the university deserves recognition. Tuition has risen, and it will continue to rise, but AU is making a real effort to continue increasing its financial aid. The administration is doing everything it can to accommodate students whose families have been hit hard by the recession.
AU has also managed to accomplish a great deal during the recession that improves the quality of an AU education. New professors have been hired. New positions have been created, for example, in the Office of the Provost. AU is still creating jobs.
Meanwhile, the demand for an AU education has increased, not decreased. There have been more prospective students on campus this year than last year.
So, are AU’s tuition hikes painful? Absolutely. But there are 39 top schools in this country that cost more per year in tuition than AU (including a certain university located in downtown D.C., named for a certain Founding Father, which charges an additional $7,000).
AU has done relatively well in this recession, managing money effectively and providing an excellent education that continues to be held in high esteem across the country and around the world.
Things could be worse.
