Trustees should not hike tuition

Recently our state university cousin to the north, Purdue University, raised tuition 7.5 percent for the next academic year. While it is true the amount reserved for the state's universities this year is decidedly less than in years past, this step is not necessarily required in order for Purdue to maintain its academic standing.\nIU has yet to announce its tuition for the next academic year, and hopefully we will not go the same route as Purdue. A 7.5 percent increase in tuition would be quite substantial for in-state students, not to mention out-of-state students. As of the last academic year, out-of-state students already paid $6,479.05 per semester. Adding a large increase to that would potentially price out numerous students who could otherwise provide a large contribution to our University. The other option would be to take out loans to attend school, but then students would face paying off bills for years to come. \nWhile it is important to uphold the high standard of education available at the University, the board of trustees needs to realize that a university is only as good as its students. While it is important to add new buildings and graduate programs, or even undergraduate programs, these things only do so much for a university if there are no students to take advantage of them. Also, if the trustees raise tuition too much, it will be like running in place because they will lose students and thus not make any money.\nThe solution to our budget problems isn't to lower standards and let more students in and thus make the academic standing of our University lower, but instead to maybe take a step back on all the many expensive projects. While it is good to increase the number of programs and schools available at the University, toning down the building and expansion for a year or two to ensure lower tuition raises would benefit the University, and all of us college students who are trying to earn our degrees.