Williams College avoids typical tuition hike
In a rare move that may affect other institutions of higher education around the country, Williams College has bucked a national trend by keeping its comprehensive fees at their current level for the 2000-01 academic year. Comprehensive fees, which include tuition, room, board, and other mandatory fees, have not been frozen for two consecutive years at Williams since 1954-55. The decision to freeze the comprehensive fees was initiated by the college's Tuition Advisory Group and passed by the Board of Trustees after looking at the college's current financial situation and projections for future revenue and expenses. Williams College president Carl Vogt credited the decision to "the continuing generosity of alumni, parents and friends of Williams and recent exceptional returns on the endowment." Since 1990, Williams' endowment has tripled from $333 million to approximately $1 billion. Similarly, Williams' comprehensive fees have grown from $21,760 to $31,520, rating it among the most expensive in the country. Some people believe Williams' decision was the logical thing to do. Williams professor of political economy Gordon Winston told The Williams Record, "With this awesome increase in our wealth it's just awfully hard to justify continuing to raise price.