Beginning with the summer 2010 semester, students will endure a larger bill, as Seton Hall University's tuition will increase by five percent.
This increase, which comes after a three percent increase for the current 2009-2010 academic year, is the product of several budgeting factors within the university as well as the state.
Vice President of Finance and Technology Dennis Garbini explained that the decision to increase tuition is a decision which comes after reviewing the financial aid budget for the upcoming year.
"The first thing we look at is the financial aid budget and the ability to attract and retain students," Garbini said. "When we are putting together the budget, we look to maintain a tuition increase which is as affordable as possible, which funds the university's needs and goals, fulfills our promises to our students and remains affordable."
Garbini stressed that while the increase comes during difficult times for the students and their families, as well as Seton Hall employees and the state, the increase was a result of cutbacks in funding that the university will receive from the state.
The decision to raise tuition was one that Garbini said will help the university provide the best for its students.
"We start off with the basic premise of how to deliver a quality education that's a high value, at the lowest cost possible," Garbini said. "We increased the financial aid budget to meet additional need for incoming freshman as well as upper class."
According to Garbini, aside from the needs of the freshman and upper class, the university will also implement a two percent increase in employee salaries, since they did not receive a raise last year.
Another factor in the budget was the president's office's strategic initiatives, which include the CORE curriculum, financial aid, several centers of excellence, some international initiatives and university sustainability initiatives, Garbini said.
While the university views the increase as cost-efficient and affordable for students, some view it as unnecessary.
"I think it's ridiculous," sophomore Gabriela Canella said. "I think the school gets enough money as it is."
Garbini said Seton Hall needed to implement the increase in order to keep up with rising costs.
"Other institutions can draw from endowments," Garbini said. "With inflation and rising costs, if there is not an increase in tuition, then there will be a diminishment of services because we are a tuition driven institution."
Seton Hall's tuition has increased less than 10 percent in nearly three years. This past academic year, Seton Hall University had the lowest percentage increase rate for an institution in the state.
Garbini said he hopes, and anticipates, this year Seton Hall will continue to have the lowest percentage increase in tuition.
"Given the pressures that the state institutions are feeling, they are going to have to turn to students," Garbini said.
Samantha Desmond can be reached at samantha.desmond@student.shu.edu.
