College tuition has been rising at a rate that is more than double that of inflation, yet colleges still serve the same purpose they always have: educate students and award a diploma.  So, why is the sticker price of college rising so fast?

There are numerous reasons that tuition rises, with one of the major reasons being a slash in government funding for higher education.  Obviously, government budget cuts are something that colleges can’t do much about; however, certain causes of increased tuition are a result of decisions made by college administrators.  One such decision is the renovation of campus facilities.  As tuition rises, many campuses are continuing to spend millions of dollars to upgrade facilities.  Most colleges don’t have millions of dollars lying around to cover the cost of these new facilities, and therefore tuition must continue to rise as a way to cover those costs.

There are certainly many other factors causing tuition to rise, but toning down campus renovations could be one of the most efficient ways to cut costs, should colleges deem it unnecessary spending.  After all, getting an education is the main purpose of college, not getting in shape at a state of the art fitness center.

The question is: Do you think those upgraded facilities better prepare students for a career, and therefore justify hikes in tuition, or should colleges stop spending so much money on renovations and start lowering tuition?