EDITORIAL: Elmhurst University should not increase tuition rates

It is no secret that college is expensive, and for Elmhurst University students, things just got pricier. 

On Jan. 9, the Office of Business and Finance informed students through email that the Elmhurst University Board of Trustees approved a 3.5% increase in full-time undergraduate tuition to $41,258 for the 2023-24 academic year. 

This rise in tuition is problematic for a multitude of reasons. Some students may be forced to drop out due an inability to afford the higher tuition, whereas those who rely on scholarships are faced with the threat of not having enough funding for the upcoming year. 

On top of this, the cost of living has only continued to rise, making it harder for students to afford necessities. With this raise in tuition, students may now have to decide between having food or an education.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area advanced by 5.5% in 2022; all items except for food and energy rose 5.3%, food prices rose 7.7%, and energy prices rose 2.5%. Amidst these increasing costs of living, the last thing students need is a tuition increase. 

As commuter students continue to struggle to fill their tanks as a result of the previously rising gas prices, this rise in tuition will cause commuter students to seriously consider whether or not getting an Elmhurst University education is worth the expense.

 $50 on gas a week is just $50 a week…until it starts to add up. 

Instead of increasing tuition rates for students to pay, EU should use some of the money raised from their grants and funding to help cover increasing operational costs and staff-hiring costs.

We know that EU is using its grants and funding towards projects that will improve the school’s buildings and programs, but if some students can’t even afford to come here, how will they be able to take advantage of these improvements?

Why are students being forced to consider whether or not they can continue getting their degree? Why is Elmhurst University more concerned with pretty buildings, rather than their students actually being able to finish their studies?

If EU is so concerned with renovating the school, they should consider looking at their current issues first. Campus-wide power outages are becoming more and more frequent, and residents of West Hall got to go for an unexpected swim when a pipe burst back in December.

Instead of directing all of its money towards large-scale projects and forcing students to cover the difference, Elmhurst University should focus its sights and funding on these more pressing issues first to satisfy the students currently enrolled. 

There are a number of ways EU could use its funding to help cover rising operational and staff-hiring costs. Perhaps they could take a small sum of each pool of money they allocated towards specific projects and put that towards covering more urgent costs. 

Or, they could decide to put off one project entirely and take the entire sum of that allocated money to help cover the costs. 

While it may be disappointing for some to have to wait on starting a much-desired project, waiting is much better than leaving students struggling or unable to pay for school. 

What’s the point in seeking higher education if the institution you’re attending cares more about pretty buildings than it does about you? For an institution that dares to claim it cares about its students in financial poverty, it truly does nothing to help them. 

Ultimately, Elmhurst University needs to realize that looking good on paper means nothing if they can’t do the bare minimum to support their students financially. Do better. We’re all watching you.