Correcting perceptions of tuition increases

We appreciate Ms. Friedman’s eloquent letter (Feb. 27) and share her concerns for medical education in Illinois. However, I would like to add the following clarifications.

Current students at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine will see a tuition increase of less than 3 percent next year. This applies to both in-state and out-of-state students, and there will be no tuition increase for the summer session. This is a modest increase, especially considering that since fiscal year 2002 the College of Medicine’s funding from the state has been cut by $21.8 million.

The 21 percent tuition increase to which Ms. Friedman refers will apply only to new students entering the college next academic year, and we have no intention of increasing tuition for those students during the course of their medical education. Annualized over four years, this represents a 4.3 percent increase per year.

All of the net increase in tuition will be dedicated to improving our academic programs. While the increase is certainly larger than we would have wanted, it is essential to maintaining quality, and our goal is to keep tuition constant over all four years of medical school for the 2012 entering class.

I also want to emphasize that, even as we must raise tuition, we are working to provide more funds for scholarships. We are confident that these efforts will allow us to maintain the tradition of diversity and focus on primary care for which our College is nationally known.

Mark Rosati

Associate Chancellor for Public Affairs

University of Illinois at Chicago