These increases in costs directly affect the students that have to pay them.
DeMoranville and O'Donnell (2001) investigated the effects of increases in per-credit-hour tuition on four-year graduation rates and how they are marketed to minimize enrollment effects. These authors too understood that increases in tuitions and fees directly has a negative impact on students. Their study examined whether or not a sliding scale tuition rate would increase the graduation rates. The researchers found that a sliding tuition rate scale does not positively affect four-year graduation rates when tuition increases are incurred.
DeMoranville and O'Donnell's (2001) research is important because it shows a history of negative effects incurred by increasing tuition. However, as times have changed such as the increased need for higher education in a competitive job market and the availability of online universities, this may no longer be the case. This new research will add to the discussion by determining if societal changes, as well as changes in the higher education system itself, have minimized the negative impact on enrollment and graduation that traditionally occurred with increases in tuition.
Statement of Objectives/Methods:
The project's focus will be to compare both incoming enrollment rates, which will directly affect future graduation rates, as well as continuing enrollment of students and graduation figures,...
By comparing these figures, and the anticipated increase or decrease in these figures before tuition rates were increased, the study will be able to determine if the increase in tuition had an effect on student enrollment and graduation numbers. To accomplish this enrollment and graduation statistics will be collected from universities around the country.
Conclusions/Recommendations:
Increasing costs and decreasing funding are serious challenges universities must face. Oftentimes budgetary cuts are not enough to create a balanced budget. In many instances, raising tuition rates are a common answer to this problem. However, this course of action directly affects the students who have to pay the tuition. The research paper proposed will determine what the effects are of raising tuition on the graduation rates in higher education.
Works Cited
DeMoranville, C. & O'Donnell, P. "Price Elasticity of Per-Credit-Hour Tuition Charges and the Effects on Four-Year Graduation Rates." Journal of Marketing for Higher Education 11(4) 2001: 29-49. Education Resource Complete EBSCOHost. University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ. 19 Oct. 2009 .
Trombley, W. "The Rising Price of Higher Education." The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Winter 2003. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. 19 Oct. 2009 .
