By John Martin, Evansville Courier & Press
Private colleges are trying to keep tuition as low as possible during the difficult economic times, and the University of Evansville is no exception, having approved its lowest increase in 12 years.
Nationwide, tuition and fees are 4.3 percent more than last year. That's the lowest bump since 1972, according to a survey of 350 schools by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
A survey released Sunday by the same group shows that more than three-quarters of the schools have increased the financial aid they're offering students.
Colleges say they know the recession has strained families' finances, and they're doing something about it, even if it means freezing salaries and making cuts.
"Private colleges are very aware of the economy we're in," said Brian Rosenberg, president of Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn.
"Most are trying both to cut their expenses and provide more aid to students. In the end, it's not an unhealthy exercise to go through."
UE announced in December that its tuition for the 2009-10 academic year will rise 3.5 percent, putting tuition at $26,010.
During the last academic year, 92 percent of UE students received some form of financial aid, according to the university.
Room and board at UE is increasing 5 percent, with the added revenue going to renovations of residence halls.
Colleges do not always respond to recessions this way.
"Under normal circumstances, would I expect a recession to keep tuition increases low? No," said Donald Heller, director for the Center for the Study of Higher Education at Penn State.
Recessions also take a bite out of college budgets, he said, deflating endowments and squeezing donations.
Because of that, "you would have expected them, all other things being equal, to turn around and raise tuition more," Heller said.
"They've done it before. What's different this time is all the attention in the last few years on the cost of colleges. There's increased sensitivity."
The Scripps Howard News Service contributed to this report.