From the President

 

Tuition and Fees for 2011-12

Over the past few months, several campus committees and the Board of Trustees have engaged in discussions regarding near-term and long-term budget planning.  These conversations have invariably dealt with striking the right balance between sustaining the high quality of an Illinois Wesleyan education and keeping the comprehensive fee as low as possible for our students and their families.

At our February board meeting, a tuition increase of 3.75 percent, or $1,316, was approved for the 2011-12 academic year.  For students living on campus there will be an additional room and board increase of $370, which brings their total increase to 3.9 percent.    There will be no increase in the $500 on-campus May Term fee that was introduced this academic year.  These increases are among our lowest in recent years and at the low end of the increases at peer institutions, both regionally and nationally. You should also be aware that about 15 percent of the total cost of a Wesleyan education is offset by the income generated from our endowment and annual gifts made by alumni and friends of the University.  A summary of next year’s costs can be found at www.iwu.edu/bus/studentacct/Tuition11-12.html.

Over the past three years, we have made a number of budget adjustments and increased our fundraising efforts in order to sustain the high quality of the educational experience and keep costs down.  In this regard, I was pleased to see in the December 2010 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance that Illinois Wesleyan was ranked the 32nd Best Value among private liberal arts colleges nationally, up from 37th in 2008 and 34th in 2009.  This Kiplinger’s ranking, which is derived from measures of academic quality and affordability, provides a good indicator of the value you are receiving for your investment with us.

Finally, I would like to remind you that the time to file for need-based financial aid is now.  Should you or your student have questions regarding the application process, I encourage you to visit the Office of Financial Aid on the Web at www.iwu.edu/financial-aid/ or call (309) 556-3096.

On behalf of the faculty and staff, I want to thank you for the efforts you are making to send your son or daughter to Illinois Wesleyan.  I can assure you that providing students with the best possible undergraduate experience remains our highest priority. 

 

Sincerely,

Richard F. Wilson