The Kenyon Board of Trustees continues sleepwalking on its apparent quest to make the College one of the most expensive in the country. President Julie Kornfeld defends this tuition increase in the name of equity — even if she was obliquely referencing the new policy on residential fees, there’s nothing equitable about over $93,000 per year. Nor is there any seriousness justifying the rise by joining arms with similarly irresponsible Kenyon peer institutions. I hope — though doubt — administrators’ attempts at “right-sizing” the budget includes a healthy introspection; administrative costs are by far the fastest growing slice of Kenyon’s budget. How in good conscience the Board can support this proposed increase is beyond me and is particularly galling when it makes no attempt to defend the increase in its Winter Report. This effort will make Kenyon less accessible, saddle students with more debt and make no effort to rein in the astronomical cost of higher education.
When my sons are applying to Kenyon in the 2040s, how much should I budget for a four-year degree? Half a million dollars? More?
Tommy Brown
Class of 2013
Silver Spring, Maryland