Undergraduate tuition, fees, room and board for Trinity College and the Pratt School of Engineering will increase by 3.9 percent next year, following Friday's approval by the Board of Trustees. The Board also adopted plans to enhance the University's investments in financial aid and approved tuition increases for graduate and professional schools.
"We have tried very hard to keep this year's increase in costs to students and their families as low as possible, while also increasing our generous financial aid programs to enable students who need assistance to attend Duke," Provost Peter Lange said in a statement. The 3.9 percent increase compares with a 4.2 percent rise for Trinity and a 4.1 percent rise for Pratt last year. Nationwide, schools have been forced to raise tuition beyond normal levels due to a slumping economy.
Currently, students enrolled in Trinity must pay $26,768; next year, that figure will increase to $27,844. Students at Pratt will pay the same amount, and the total cost to attend Duke, including room and board, will be $35,765.
The annual grant to a financial aid recipients is expected to reach more than $19,500 next year. The University will spend $36.7 million on financial aid next year, up 8.3 percent over last year. It will not require that financial aid recipients provide more through work-study programs or low-interest loans, giving them more direct grants.
"We've always said [that in addition to providing more students with financial aid] we wanted to give more aid to students we support," said President Nan Keohane. "It's shifting slowly with the campaign." She said Duke still believes students and their parents should pay for some of costs of education so they feel ownership over it.
Lange also noted that the University is continuing a program expected to raise its international and socioeconomic diversity. As it has this year, the University will provide financial aid for 20 to 25 international students.
The Trustees also approved tuition increases for the graduate and professional schools. Tuition and registration fees for the Graduate School will increase by 10.8 percent in doctorate programs and by 4.5 percent in master's programs.
Tuition in the Divinity School will increase by 4.1 percent; the Fuqua School of Business by 5.9 percent; the School of Law by 5.9 percent; the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences by 3.6 percent; the School of Medicine by 4 percent; and the School of Nursing by 4 percent.
IN OTHER BUSINESS: The Board accepted plans for a new 13,000 square-foot student health center in the lower level of Duke Clinic. The $2.7 million facility, scheduled to open in August, will include 14 exam rooms, a small pharmacy, areas for health educators and dietitians, an immunization and allergy-shot clinic and a small laboratory. The Student Health Clinic in the Pickens Building, the student infirmary in Duke Clinic and the Healthy Devil office on West Campus will close.
Trustees gave final approval for the building of a 550-space $10 million parking garage behind the Bryan Center, Duke Chapel and Page Auditorium. The Board also authorized the renovation of dormitories in Kilgo Quadrangle and the building of a 4,500 square-foot building next to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Keohane said the Board received reports on the University's strategic plan, the Campaign for Duke, the long-range medical school plan, faculty recruitment, the Alumni Association's long-range plan, safety on campus and Executive Vice President Tallman Trask's role at Duke. She said the Student Affairs Committee discussed safety, the needs of graduate and professional students and the University's obligation to support students' spiritual needs. The Academic Affairs Committee heard a presentation on the planned engineering and science complex.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.