The College's Board of Trustees hiked tuition 4.9 percent, or $1,365, for the 2003-2004 academic year at this weekend's winter meeting.
The increase brings next year's tuition costs up to $28,965, and overall charges for next year -- a fee that includes room, board and other mandatory charges -- to $37,770. This increase will apply to all undergraduates, students at the Thayer School of Engineering and graduate students in the arts and sciences.
Tuition charges for Dartmouth Medical School will increase 5 percent to $31,600, and the tuition for Tuck School of Business Administration will increase 6.2 percent, to $34,500.
"The Board always votes to set the tuition increase for the upcoming year during Winter term," said Trustee Chair Susan Dentzer '77. "Other schools are reporting increases between 4.5 and 6 percent, so we are consistent with other comparable schools."
"The figure imposes burdens on families, but the budget for financial aid has gone up substantially," Dentzer said.
Dartmouth will continue to be committed to need-blind admission for undergraduates, making admissions decisions without considering an applicant's ability to pay for his or her education, College President James Wright said.
"While we are experiencing challenges in planning our budgets in these uncertain economic times, it is important that we continue to offer an education among the very best available, and that we strive to keep it accessible," Wright said. "We remain committed to providing financial aid for anyone who needs it."
Due to a more diverse applicant pool this year for the Class of 2007, Dartmouth expects to award nearly $37 million in financial aid to undergraduates next year, an increase of $3 million over last year.
At a facilities meeting, the Board approved minor renovation projects for the upcoming year. This year's projects include routine maintenance to residence halls, minor renovation of the Hopkins Center and renovation to the Raven House, the future home of the education department.
"We also continued discussing parking and the possibility of building a parking garage, but no plans were made," Dentzer said.
Continuing a winter meeting tradition, the Board also set the affirmative action goals for the upcoming year. The Board reaffirmed its commitment to seek hiring in various under-represented categories for the faculty and staff, looking for candidates from minority groups and women.
Wright also briefed the Board on property purchased by Dartmouth in the Hanover area and on the current budget situation, although no votes will be made on the budget until June.
The Trustees met with students to hear their opinions and concerns at a meeting on Friday and an informal breakfast Saturday morning.
Dentzer, whose tenure as Trustee Chair was set to expire in June, has instead been re-elected to a one-year term as a charter Trustee, extending her tenure as chair until June 2004.
The next meeting of the Board will be in June, where members will vote on the 2004 budget and elect new members.
