EU’S Tuition increase impacts students

The announcement of a 3.5% tuition increase for the 2023-2024 academic year shocked many students over winter break. Rising tuition costs amidst the rising rate of inflation have left students concerned for how they’ll afford classes next semester. 

The increase in tuition comes just two years after Elmhurst University surpassed its $50 million fundraising goal.

Vice President of Business and Finance and Chief Financial officer, Julie Suderman, gave insight into why a tuition increase was necessary and what students can expect in the 2023-2024 academic year.

AP: Aside from the need to meet inflation, why the increase in tuition?

Julie Suderman: “In addition to covering increases in operating costs (which the University has tried to keep as low as possible), the University is committed to fairly compensating faculty and staff to ensure that we can keep attracting, retaining and rewarding top talent to serve our students.”

AP: What will the tuition increase go towards? Are there plans for new developments from the increased tuition funds (not the fundraising efforts) at Elmhurst University? If so, what are they?

Suderman: “The increased inflation rates that everyone has been dealing with since January 2021 have also increased expenses for the University. The prices for items needed for daily campus operations, like food, utilities, paper, etc., have increased significantly. 

We do our best to absorb these increases by improving efficiencies and revising our processes, but ultimately some of these costs do get passed on. We’ve tried very hard to limit that amount, understanding that what the University is experiencing is what our students and their families also are experiencing.”

Graphic by — Abbey Mark

The tuition increase also contributed to compensation increases to reward the hard work of EU’s faculty and staff. Elmhurst is known for the quality of its teaching, and the University is committed to attracting and retaining talented faculty and staff.

As for new projects and improvements on campus, we are evaluating several improvement projects that students suggested during the strategic planning listening sessions that were held in the fall. These suggestions included ADA accessibility improvements, enhanced academic and recreation spaces, expanded offerings in the Wellness Center, and several others.

AP: Were there any improvements that could’ve been postponed to avoid an increase on students’ tuition?

Suderman: “Fundraising dollars benefit not just new building projects and improvements to classrooms and other facilities, but also, to a larger extent, students and their Elmhurst experience. Philanthropic gifts are used to fund student scholarships; to support research, study abroad and other academic opportunities; and to establish and maintain endowed faculty positions, among other things.”

As for the groundbreaking on a new health science building, delaying it (and other capital improvement projects) raises the likelihood that the longer we wait, the higher the cost will be, and this building has been sorely needed for years.

 Our entire campus will benefit—not only our students majoring in the health sciences, but the rest of us too, through the additional physical spaces that will become available when the new building comes online.

Given the needed improvements this project will provide, deferring did not make sense and would not have impacted our tuition levels. Also, because we are strategic with our resources, major projects are financed over a long-term time horizon, which provides greater flexibility and resources to fund various capital needs.

AP: How was the Board of Trustees able to offer an increased tuition rate at “less than half of the current rate of inflation?”

Suderman: “The University prioritizes good fiscal management to ensure that dollars are expended as carefully as possible and invests in areas that will ensure the long-term viability and vitality of campus. This allows the University to keep the tuition increase as low as possible while still enabling us to keep up with rising prices and to fairly compensate our faculty and staff. (For example, our most recent campus improvement was an HVAC overhaul that benefits the environment and has increased efficiencies across campus, saving energy costs at a time when utility costs have increased greatly.)”

AP: The announcement email stated fundraising efforts allowed for increased funding for scholarships. Which scholarships will receive the increase? Will there be new additional scholarships? What are the “other ways to support our students” as mentioned in the announcement.

Suderman: “In general, students with financial need will automatically be considered for these funds as their situation merits. Each student’s financial aid is re-evaluated each year to estimate their total need, so the tuition rate at the time would be considered in their financial aid package, and the package would be adjusted accordingly. One of the ways is when donors give to the Annual Fund, which provides immediate support to students, generally in the form of financial aid.”

AP: Is there a concern for less enrollment in coming years based on the tuition increase?

Suderman: “When evaluating tuition, we carefully consider the impact on prospective students while weighing the operational needs to serve our students well.” 

AP: Has there been any backlash or disapproval towards the tuition increase?

Suderman: “We haven’t really seen or heard anything except for the Leader editorial, but that doesn’t mean students aren’t concerned, and we understand that. We have been doing all we can to minimize the impact on students and will continue to do so in the future.”

The rise in tuition has caused students to worry about their futures at EU.

 Sabina, a junior,  stated, “I’m just worried that if they continue to increase tuition every year like this that there might be a point where me and other students might not be able to afford going here or have to take out larger loans.”

Angelica, a freshman, shared her opinion towards the increase, “I’ve heard from the upperclassmen that this is not a new thing, the tuition increase every year, however we’re not seeing an increase in the support and in the scholarships, so I think it kind of speaks volumes about the university’s priorities.”