A Big Rise To Cover The Deficit

The University desperately attempting to ride out the tide of inflation, escalating energy costs and a $1.7 million deficit for this year, last week gave final approval to a $580 tuition, rooms and board increase for next year's undergraduate and graduate students, bringing total student payments to $5930.

While the Corporation's approval of the plan on Monday represented the largest dollar-for-dollar fee increase in University history, spokesmen for Dean Rosovsky's office--which worked out and presented the proposal--looked on it as little more than a holding action designed to keep the Faculty's deficit constant as operating costs continue to rise.

Robert E. Kaufmann '62, assistant dean of the Faculty for financial affairs, summed up the official position last week, saying. "The dean would like to submit a 1975-76 budget no further in deficit than this year's budget."

Under the new plan, tuition--accounting for about two-thirds of the Faculty's unrestricted income--will rise $340 next year, from the current $3400 to $3740. Rents will increase by $150, going from $950 to $1100, while board payments will rise by $90, to $1090 from this year's $1000. Rosovsky's present projections indicate that the increases in rents will wipe out this year's probably $500,000 deficit in the College and graduate student housing budget, and that the board increase will help to balance the food services budget.

Rosovsky's office cites rising heat, light and fuel costs, coupled with the necessity of keeping the Faculty deficit at its present amount, as the prime reason for the fee increases. In addition, Harvard's bill for wages and salaries will rise in the coming year, as University employees attempt to make up for the economic effects of inflation.

A shortfall in income from the Harvard College Fund could further complicate the Faculty's revenue problems. Last year, income from the fund fell 16 per cent short of its budgeted level--a serious matter when the fund accounts for about one-tenth of the Faculty's unrestricted income.

Increased costs and inflation are not being felt at Harvard alone. In January, Yale announced an almost identical fee increase--$570 in tuition, room and board, bringing the total student payment to $5920.

Last Monday's action by the Corporation broke the year-long deadlock in student payments between the two schools. Next year, Harvard undergraduates and graduate students will pay $10 more a year than their Yale counterparts.