Harvard students can expect an increase in tuition next year, Dean Bundy said yesterday.
Revision of the present $1,250 rate is now under consideration, the dean revealed. "I would be very surprised if it turned out without any increase," he said
Although declining to speculate how large the rise might be, Bundy noted it would have to be "substantial enough" to justify the costs of implementing the change. The last increase, in 1958, was $250. And in 1956, tuition rose $200.
Radcliffe will consider changing its tuition if Harvard decides to raise its price, President Mary I. Bunting said last night. No change is currently under consideration she said, and expressed surprise at the Harvard plans. Although changes in Radcliffe tuition have been announced at the same time as Harvard's in past years, the decisions are made independently.
Dean Bundy said announcement of any change will come before vacation "as a Christmas present."
Only two Ivy League schools presently charge less for tuition than the College--Columbia and Cornell. Cornell, however, charges $350 for extras--health and lab fees, etc. The highest current figure is $1450 at Princeton, which has announced an increase to $1500 for next year. Dartmouth and Brown charge $1400 and Penn $1250.
Bundy, who noted an increase for this year had been postponed despite expectations because of "some lucky breaks," said it would be "very strange" to go four years with no change.
Factors governing the increase include rising College costs--which have gone up five per cent a year, estimates of future costs, receipts from annual donations to the University, new programs, and the financial aid program.
Part of the increases may be simply because of changes in accounting, Bundy said. The College is considering including the $68 health fee in the tuition and also including some of the educational costs of the Houses, such as the libraries and seminars. Cost of these services are presently billed separately or are part of the room rent.
Bundy doubted, however, that these accounting changes, which would lower bookkeeping expenses "several thousands of dollars," would be made without also increasing the basic price.
Fred L. Glimp, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, noted last night that any rise in costs causes admissions problems.
Glimp doubted a hike would cause any immediate problem since "everyone has been shell-shocked into expecting it" and because most of Harvard's "natural rivals" are near the same total cost. In the long run, however, rising tuition makes it tougher and tougher for the College to keep in contact with the economically poorer sections of the population--a contact it wishes to maintain, Glimp said.
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