News from NAICU

The Save Pell Coalition, of which CLASP is a member, has released new findings on the current state of the Pell Grant program and the many students who are counting on it. Key takeaways include: Pell grants have already been hit hard and students rely on Pell Grants more than ever. 

Published Tuition at Private Institutions Grew an Average of 3.6 Percent for 2013-14;

Institutional Student Aid up 6.9 Percent

WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 10, 2013) — Students and families entering the nation’s private, nonprofit colleges and universities this academic year experienced the lowest tuition and fee rate increases in at least four decades.  According to an annual survey of its members, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) reports published tuition and fees increased by just 3.6 percent for the 2013-2014 academic year. At the same time, institutional student aid budgets at private colleges increased an average of 6.9 percent for 2013-14.

This is the fifth consecutive year that the percentage increase in published tuition has stayed below pre-recession rates, and the second time in at least four decades it has been below 4 percent.  From 2009-10 to 2013-14, average private college tuition increases ran in the mid-four percent range, down from an average annual increase of nearly 6 percent during the previous 10 years.  This year’s rate is the lowest NAICU has on record dating back to 1972-73 (see chart below).

“During the past five years, private colleges and universities across the nation have redoubled efforts and implemented innovative initiatives to cut their operating costs, improve their efficiency, and enhance their affordability,” said NAICU President David L. Warren.  “This, coupled with generous institutional student aid policies, has resulted in a private higher education that is accessible and affordable to students and families from all backgrounds.”

According to NAICU, data show that the average inflation-adjusted net tuition and fees (published tuition and fees minus grant aid from all sources and federal higher education tax benefits) has increased just $230, to $13,380, at private, nonprofit institutions over the past ten years.  According to the College Board, in 2012-2013, published tuition and fees averaged just over $29,000 at nonprofit colleges and universities.

Results from NAICU’s survey also show this year’s average 6.9 percent increase in institutional student aid follows increases of 6.2 percent, 7.3 percent, 6.8 percent, and 9 percent in 2012-13, 2011-12, 2010-11, and 2009-10, respectively. The NAICU survey did not collect student aid figures prior to 2009-10. 

 “Private, nonprofit colleges and universities have been and will continue to be positive investments that pay big dividends,” said Warren.  “Nearly eight-in-ten students who earned a bachelor’s degree from a four-year private institution did so in four years, graduating with manageable debt and prepared to succeed and contribute to the workforce and society.”

Tuition Cuts, Freezes, and Other Affordability Measures Spread

Since the economic downturn, private colleges have introduced creative affordability measures to keep out-of-pocket costs as low as possible for students and families. In recent years, an unprecedented number of private institutions have cut tuition, frozen tuition, announced fixed-tuition guarantees (no increases for students while they are enrolled), or introduced three-year degree programs.

Other initiatives are also spreading, including military scholarships, substantial student aid increases, loan repayment assistance programs, and articulation agreements with community colleges.

More than half (510) of NAICU’s 962 member colleges and universities responded to this year’s survey of published tuition and institutional student aid increases. NAICU member institutions enroll 90 percent of the students who attend private, nonprofit colleges and universities in the United States.  NAICU’s survey collects percentage increases in published tuition and institutional student aid budget increases, but not dollar amounts.

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NAICU serves as the unified national voice of independent higher education. With more than 1,000 member institutions and associations, NAICU reflects the diversity of private, nonprofit higher education in the United States. They include traditional liberal arts colleges, major research universities, church- and faith-related institutions, historically black colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, single-sex colleges, art institutions, two-year colleges, and schools of law, medicine, engineering, business, and other professions.

WASHINGTON – The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) today released the 2012 edition of the NACUBO Tuition Discounting Survey.  David Warren, president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, issued the following statement on the report:

 “America's private, non-profit colleges and universities are committed to enrolling a diverse cohort of students, regardless of financial need, to meet the human resource needs of the nation.  The 2012 NACUBO Tuition Discounting Survey illustrates this commitment by noting that nearly half of private colleges forego tuition revenue or discount tuition to assist families in a weak economy.   This is just one of many efforts by private colleges including containing tuition increases, increasing student aid budgets, and increasing productivity and operating efficiency.  In fact, private colleges had the lowest rate of tuition increases in 2012 (3.9 percent) since 1976, and have increased student aid approximately 7 percent per year over the past four years.

“While the financial outlook for private, nonprofit colleges and universities is challenging, enrollment in the sector has grown by 25 percent over the past decade. These are mission driven institutions with a history of resiliency, innovation, and adaptation.  Moving forward, there will continue to be a demand for diverse marketplace of institutions that serves  any different niches.” 

David Warren
President, NAICU 

About NAICU
NAICU serves as the unified national voice of independent higher education. With more than 1,000 member institutions and associations nationwide, NAICU reflects the diversity of private, nonprofit higher education in the United States.  NAICU members enroll nine out of every 10 students attending private, nonprofit institutions. They include traditional liberal arts colleges, major research universities, church- and faith-related institutions, historically black colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, single-sex colleges, art institutions, two-year colleges, and schools of law, medicine, engineering, business, and other professions.

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WASHINGTON, D.C., — The members of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) have selected four new board officers and 15 new board directors.  They assumed their new responsibilities on Feb. 6 at the NAICU 2013 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Members of NAICU's board of directors set the association's agenda on federal higher education policy; actively encourage support of NAICU priorities and initiatives; and oversee the association's financial administration.  Members serve three-year terms.  Officers hold their positions for one year.

“NAICU's new board members and officers were selected by their peers because of their expertise in the field, proven leadership, and commitment to America's college students,” said NAICU President David L. Warren. “They assume their responsibilities at a time of great challenge and transformation for American higher education.”

New NAICU Board Officers 

Dr. Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran, president of Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Mich., has been elected chair of the NAICU board of directors for 2013-14.  Wilson-Oyelaran has served as president of Kalamazoo College since 2005.  She earned her B.A. in sociology from Pomona College, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in education from the Claremont Graduate University.  Vice chair of the NAICU board in 2012-13, Wilson-Oyelaran succeeds Dr. Nathan O. Hatch, president of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., who remains on the board as immediate past chair. 

Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons, president of Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va., will serve as vice chair of the NAICU board of directors.  She will assume the position of chair next year.

Dr. Kevin J. Manning, president of Stevenson University in Stevenson, Md., has been named treasurer.

Dr. Lee G. Royce, president of Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss., has been named secretary.

New NAICU Board Members    

Eight new members were elected to three-year terms on the NAICU board, representing the association's national regions:

Dr. Susan W. Engelkemeyer, President, Nichols College, Dudley, Mass..
Region I (Conn., Maine, Mass., N.H., R.I., Vt.)

Dr. Charles L. Flynn, Jr., President, College of Mount Saint Vincent, Riverdale, N.Y.
Region II (Del., D.C., Md., N.J., N.Y.)

Dr. Thomas V. Chema, President, Hiram College, Hiram, Ohio
Region III (Ky., Ohio, Pa., W.Va.)

Dr. Jennifer L. Braaten, President, Ferrum College, Ferrum, Va..
Region IV (Fla., Ga., N.C., S.C., Va.)

Dr. Jeffrey R. Docking, President, Adrian College, Adrian, Mich.
Region V (Ill., Ind., Mich., Wis.)

Judge Ken Starr, President, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
Region VI (Ala., Ark., La., Miss., Okla., Tenn., Texas)

Mr. Kent Henning, President, Grand View University, Des Moines, Iowa.
Region VII (Iowa, Kan., Minn., Mo., Neb., N.D., S.D.)

Dr. Ronald R. Thomas, President, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Wash..
Region VIII (Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Hawaii, Idaho, Mont., N.M., Nev., Ore., Utah, Wash., Wyo.)

Four presidents have been named to three-year terms as at-large members of the board:

Ms. Lori Bettison-Varga, President, Scripps College, Claremont, Calif.
Dr. Antoine M. Garibaldi, President, University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, Mich.
Dr. Marjorie Hass, President, Austin College, Sherman, Texas
Dr. David Maxwell, President, Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa

A voting member of the National Association of Independent College and University State Executives will serve a three-year term:

Mr. Paul Hankins, President, Alabama Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Montgomery, Ala.

A voting member of the NAICU Secretariat will service a three-year term:

Dr. Paul Chewning, President, Appalachian College Association, Berea, Ky.

An ad-hoc, non-voting government relations person will also serve a three-year term:

Ms. Marisa Quinn, Vice President, Public Affairs & University Relations, Brown University, Providence, R.I.

NAICU serves as the unified national voice of independent higher education. With more than 1,000 member institutions and associations nationwide, NAICU reflects the diversity of private, nonprofit higher education in the United States. NAICU members enroll nine out of every 10 students attending private, nonprofit institutions. They include traditional liberal arts colleges, major research universities, church- and faith-related institutions, historically black colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, single-sex colleges, art institutions, two-year colleges, and schools of law, medicine, engineering, business, and other professions.