Tuition hikes

Re “Private tuition is up just 4%,” April 5

Your article about private universities imposing an average of 4% tuition increases this year implies that the public colleges are gouging their students with their 10% fee increases.

You fail to mention that the fee increases by public universities have been a response to large reductions in state support. Increases at private universities are simply a reflection of what their markets will bear.

We often hear that private industry can do everything more efficiently than the public sector. However, public universities educate students at about one-third of the cost at private universities. They provide a good education to students whose families cannot afford to send them anywhere else. It is hard to understand how state governments can be so cavalier about cutting the budgets of these public treasures.

The lowly 4% tuition increases that the privates are imposing this year reflect the effect on the wealthy of the current economic disaster. Look for more substantial increases when the economy improves.

Terrence Dunn

Bakersfield