Five percent increase for 2005-2006

April 21, 2005
By Christina Neumiller
Staff Writer

Starting this summer, students will find that their bills will come with a little more attached to it than usual. A five-and-a-half percent increase in tuition will take effect during the summer semester. Room and board will be going up five percent.

Undergraduates who are full time with 12-18 credits will pay an adjusted rate of $9265 per semester. Part-time students will pay $577 per credit hour. Graduate programs should consult their program directors for adjustments.

Five times over the past five years there has been a tuition increase. Some may ask if it is necessary to raise tuition and ask if there is anything else that St. Ambrose University is doing to help eliminate the need for tuition increases.

“We do cut back programs and we reduce expenditures on things that aren’t necessary,” vice president of finance Edward Henkhaus said. “Usually the need outweighs what we can do as far as cutbacks and still do a good job.”

Improvements, new staff, new equipment, and more money for faculty and staff are usually the reason for a tuition increase.

“Human needs first,” President Edward Rogalski said.

From the funds generated by the increase, $400,000 will be put towards the financial aid budget.

This year some academic programs receiving money for additional staff will be theology, philosophy, nursing, and spanish.

A little bit of the increase will go to the new health sciences building at Genesis, Rogalski said. But a majority of the funds for that building will be from fundraising and endowments. 

Additional funds will be allocated toward remodeling the cafeteria. There will be more stations, which mean more people will be needed to run them. The price of the cafeteria food supplies is also going up, so they have to compensate for that too.

Graduate programs are also getting some improvements. There will be additional offerings in the education department and post-professional opportunities in physical therapy and nursing. Both undergrad and graduate programs in these fields will have funds allocated to them to improve the quality of the programs.

“In the long run, it’s for students,” Henkhaus said.

Revenue not from tuition comes from professional development programs, donations, and gate recites.

“Every institution tries to keep the cost down,” Henkhaus said. “Sometimes it’s a necessary evil that it’s done.”

Henkhaus said to compare St. Ambrose with other private institutions in the state of Iowa.

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