CMU forced to cut guaranteed tuition plan
By Kelly Morse
Edited By Amanda Crabtree, Sarah Schuch, Meredith Mayberry

The CMU Promise will not be available to incoming freshmen or transfer students starting next fall.

The plan was designed to guarantee students the same tuition rate for up to five years.

Last Thursday, the Board of Trustees decided that because of the state’s economic uncertainty, it would be in the university’s best interest to not continue offering the plan.

“While the Board of Trustees recently voted not to offer the CMU Promise to future students beginning in the fall 2008 semester, the university is committed to honoring the plan for current students,” said Dean of Students Bruce Roscoe in an e-mail to students. “We stand by our promise to you.”

The program began in the fall of 2005. The goal was to help those planning for higher education budget for college expenses.

A quick promotional video about CMU, which highlights the promise, is shown to all prospective students and their parents who come to campus for a tour.

“I always would get questions from parents about that during the tour,” said Sandy Burkhardt, a former Campus Ambassador. “They thought the idea was innovative.”

Although the incoming freshmen class increases every year, the university has not received a boost in state funding since the 1999-2000 school year.

“While CMU is the fourth largest university in the state, its state appropriation is 13th out of the 15 public universities and is $2,000 per student below the average,” said Steve Smith, director of media relations.

Even though the hike in tuition for the fall of 2007 was considered high, some students are more at ease with knowing that their tuition is locked in.

“CMU had a huge increase in tuition last year, but knowing that I was locked into a rate for the next five years was very attractive,” said Dan Martin, a freshman from Holly. “CMU may have raised it a lot all at once, but other schools will probably overall raise more over the next four or five years.”

A their July meeting, the Board of Trustees will decide the tuition rate for the fall semester.