Amid rising educational costs, Monmouth University’s recent announcement of a tuition increase sparked concern among students and faculty, with calls for more financial transparency coming from both. The Faculty Association of Monmouth University (FAMCO), alongside AFT-NJ and AFL-CIO state leaders well as students, convened to discuss these pressing financial issues on April 10. As the graph with this post shows, the value of Monmouth University’s assets overall has risen consistently while financial liabilities remain stable and low, meaning the university’s financial health is great. Despite this, the University antagonizes faculty in contract negotiations (paying a high-priced outside lawyer to do so) and students don’t see this financial health showing in their daily experience. In a piece in the Monmouth Outlook, Kristen Frawley gave the following testimonial:

Kristen Frawley is a junior social work student and one of the students who spoke at FAMCO’s recent meeting. She said, “The recent tuition increase concerns me greatly because students cannot clearly see where this money is going and how it will benefit us. I question the school’s morals and ethics surrounding money allocation when I think about the fact that the top 15 administrative members earned a collective $4.4 million in 2022 while Counseling and Prevention Services are so underfunded and understaffed that students are limited to seven sessions per semester.”

These financial findings, set against the backdrop of ongoing contract negotiations and increased scrutiny over administrative salaries and resource allocation, underscores a growing discontent with how student fees are utilized and the tangible impact University budgeting has on the quality of education and services provided to students.

Check out the whole Outlook article below for a more detailed student take on the situation: