One of several items on the agenda for this morning’s Board of Trustees meeting is a proposed 6.2 percent increase in University housing rates for undergraduates here in Champaign-Urbana. On its heels are rising fees, with a tuition increase projected to be in the range of 9 to 11 percent for incoming freshmen. In addition, the administration plans to call for a $200 per semester library fee along with a possible 8.5 percent raise in other fees students pay now. These increases will make the overall cost of attendance for in-state students climb ever closer to that of private institutions.

Yet, the announcement of these cost increases was not accompanied by increases in scholarships and grants for aid-eligible students. Further, very few or vague explanations were given to justify the cost increases.

The increased rates may be an unfortunate necessity with a tight state budget. But students are continually forced to shoulder these hardships so the University can continue to grow and remain competitive.

The administration must realize that it is asking students on campus today to pay for projects and needs that are not likely to have a significant effect until they are gone. Juniors and seniors paying a $200 increase to help digitize the library system may see little payoff. Since tuition alone makes up only 13.8 percent of the University’s operating budget, the proposed increases will have a greater cost for students than the benefits the University can hope to gain.

This situation is yet another result of the general lack of foresight by the administration and chronic neglect by the statehouse. It is becoming painfully obvious that there was not enough advanced planning to address serious problems looming on the horizon for years.

The disgraceful condition of Lincoln Hall and the perpetually overcrowded residence halls are just two of the many issues that have been allowed to fester over the years. This is in part from the ineffectual management preferring easy, short-term solutions to substantial overhauls that were needed. The amount requested for the renovation of Lincoln Hall in fiscal year 2000 was $9.5 million; the number has ballooned to $53.1 million for fiscal year 2008.

The administration has a responsibility to its students to do more in securing the University’s future than merely looking to them for quick fixes. Increasing operating costs requires new approaches in fostering donor loyalty, maintaining efficient fiscal management and addressing long-term needs in the face of declining state support. In the end, there is a limit to what students and parents can shoulder.