Sources close to The Commentator have revealed that the Yeshiva University Board of Trustees will likely confirm its third tuition increase in three years at a meeting planned for March 14th. The impending raise comes on the heels of last year's 6% boost for returning students and 9% surge for incoming students, leaving the running tab for overall tuition expenses nearly 18% higher as a result of increases in the past two years alone.

Although the Office of University Finances has, to date, made no official pronouncements about the imminent increase, and the Office of Enrollment Management has refused to divulge the specific sums under review, The Commentator has learned that incoming undergraduate students will likely face increases of up to 10%, with their veteran colleagues absorbing smaller increases of 6%. Assuming the Board finalizes these figures, total expenses for incoming students will equal $27,423, while current students will be paying $25,259 per year.

According to the University Dean of Students David Himber, "Tuition over the years has not kept pace with the quality and excellence that Yeshiva University is striving to provide its student body. If you want to constantly keep making improvements in the quality of our University, it gets very expensive," he explained, justifying the likely increases.

Echoing Himber's sentiments, Yeshiva College Dean Norman Adler stressed, "We are trying to build an institution of the highest quality and this is very expensive. Compared to other comparable institutions we are completely under-priced, and we have reached a stage where we cannot proceed unless we raise tuition to preserve our quality," he claimed.

In terms of specific improvements, Himber pointed to the web software associated with "GetGrades.Com," a website designed to provide students with their marks and transcripts, claiming that it cost the University "hundreds of thousands of dollars." He was referring to the approximately two hundred and fifty thousand dollar purchase of the Banner Web component for the University's Banner databasing system, a product and feature that will be used across all the University's schools. Himber also mentioned, "that all the improvements over the years have triggered a significant deficit."

Despite repeatedly declining to reveal any of the figures likely to be included in the raise, Director of Enrollment Management John Fisher did shed light on why the board was making a May decision in March. "The longer we wait on the decision, the more likely we are to get the numbers as they should be," he explained. "On the other hand, the more difficult it is to inform students and families. Due to the nature of the economy this year, we felt as though we had to make a decision earlier." Fisher also insisted that concurrently "the University is working on a financial aid program to ensure that Yeshiva is still affordable."

Elaborating, Dr. Charles Snow, Dean of the Sy Syms School of Business, commented, "We are very concerned with the ability of parents and students to afford the education provided at Yeshiva University. One of our primary thrusts is being a school of the students," he reassured.

When asked about why Yeshiva was raising tuition costs in the face of an economic recession, Adler responded: "We simply don't have a choice. We are going to lose people. I am competing for the top scholars in the country and the market is such that in order to be competitive we have to raise tuition revenue," he maintained.

Some students, however, did not receive the news of the looming increase warmly. " It angers me that a board so far removed from the students has the audacity to raise tuition for the third year in a row," objected Junior Class President Yaakov Green. "They claim that the students will see improvements, but where are they? All the students end up seeing are endowments earmarked for a new coat of paint," he raged.

Others, though, took a more moderate approach. "I realize that Yeshiva is also feeling the pangs of the recession but perhaps they should find other means of amassing funds," remarked Sy Syms Junior Elly Goldenberg. "It just doesn't seem fair to spring such a large raise on students and parents in light of the country's present economic circumstances."