The college increased overall tuition by 4.5 percent, and room and board by 4.1 percent, making individual annual charges $46,016 for tuition and $17,690 for a double room with board.

Vice President and Dean for Campus Life James Hoppe informed the Emerson community of the increase in an email sent over the winter break. Hoppe said the Board of Trustees approved the increase to sustain and enhance the Emerson experience for students. After a lack of communication in 2017, the administration sent emails to students and mailed letters to parents in 2018.

“The Board of Trustees is mindful of the investment that college tuition represents for our students and their families and of the impact that these increases may have, and has worked diligently to keep annual increases as low as possible,” Hoppe wrote in the email.

According to previous reporting by the Beacon, tuition at Emerson increases at a higher rate than other private universities, even if the amount is comparable to tuition hikes elsewhere.

Hoppe specified how the college will use money gained from the tuition increase. In the past, the college used additional funds from tuition increases to pay new professors and to increase financial aid.

Some students are upset about the increase, and feel as if the administration has not been transparent.  

“I think it’s understandable …. it’s what a lot of colleges are doing,” sophomore Christopher Henderson-West said. “While it is part of Emerson’s administrations job to clearly communicate to them, at the same time people aren’t open to the ways they’re trying to communicate with them.”

Sophomore A.J. Tierney said the disconnect lies between administration and the student population. She wants more transparency on exactly where the money is spent.

“That’s because private universities in general are focused on finances and not on actual learning,” Tierney said.

Shafaq Patel, Riane Roldan and Max Reyes contributed to this story.