Why Our Pledge?
For the past 15 years, Arizona students and families have faced annual tuition increases ranging from zero to 39 percent, an average of 7.3 percent a year. This unpredictable pattern has made it difficult for students and their parents to plan the finances necessary to pay for a college education.
Northern Arizona University recognizes that accessibility and affordability of higher education continues to be of great concern to the citizens of Arizona. Accessibility has long been a focal point for the university, and the university continues to expand its offerings throughout the state. A significant component of affordability is the uncertainty of what tuition rates might rise to during a student’s college career. Therefore, in December 2007, the university sought and received approval from the Arizona Board of Regents to implement a pilot project designed to guarantee four-year tuition rates for first-time, full-time freshmen and transfer students enrolling at the Flagstaff campus in fall 2008. The proposal was brought forward after conducting extensive surveys of parents and numerous discussions with student leaders.
The Pledge is not a tuition discount plan or a college savings plan. By knowing that the tuition rate won’t change for four years, students and their families are able to calculate total tuition costs for an undergraduate degree. Their financial planning is made more accurate because they also can calculate housing and meal costs for the first two years.
The Pledge is our commitment to help undergraduate students enrolled on the Flagstaff campus and their families plan for the cost of a four year college education – no surprises, no guessing. This
