Throwback: Greater Clarity Over Higher University Fees

The increase in university fees seems like an annual ritual, and with each announcement there are demands for more information on “the faculty, equipment, and operating costs”. Read “Greater Clarity Over Higher University Fees” (a version of the article was also published in The Straits Times), and here’s a short excerpt:

“With persistent inflationary concerns and other cost pressures, this ritual of universities increasing tuition fees appears reasonable at first glance (ST, Apr. 4). Yet the dissatisfaction of undergraduates often stems from the poor communication of announcements, and the corresponding lack of clarity. Even with generous government subsidies college remains an expensive undertaking, so administrations should entertain demands for further substantiation.

Therefore besides the generic justifications of “rising operating costs” and “creating online learning systems”, there should be supplementary information to justify hikes in tuition fees. The request is not necessarily for comprehensive financial statements which may be sensitive or tedious to produce, but for more exposition on how the respective schools intend to use the additional funds – if any. As a student of the Business School at the National University of Singapore (NUS) I would for instance appreciate more useful explanations on costs for “the faculty, equipment, and operating costs” that Professor Tan Eng Chye of NUS spoke of.”