We, the parents, students and alumni of Duke University are protesting a recent decision by Duke's Board of Trustees to increase tuition 3.8 percent for the 2016-2017 academic year. This will bring the total price tag to $65,703 a year. An identical 3.8 percent increase was approved last year. Duke is among  56 colleges and universities being questioned by the U.S. Congress regarding increases in tuition fees.

In February of this year, a congressional letter was sent to those institutions to gather information. “Despite ... large and growing endowments, many colleges and universities have raised tuition far in excess of inflation,” said the letter, which was signed by the chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees. The endowments range from $1 billion to as much as $56 billion. The rapidly rising cost of tuition is unsustainable for middle class parents and students, who are often forced to take out loans or deplete savings in order to make tuition payments.

Tuition increases are a trend at elite educational institutions, which often look to each other to guide their decisions. The rate hikes are performed with little transparency; there is generally no public discussion beforehand, the increases are often unannounced, and no justification for them provided.  

Comprehensive fees already exceed $65,000 a year at most of these schools.  We believe that a cap is therefore necessary, that the middle class educational market can no longer bear such high costs. We are seeking to put a stop to the tuition hikes by calling attention to this crisis.

If you are parents, students or alumni of Duke University, please sign this petition demanding that Duke cap tuition costs at current rates. Add your voice to the call to keep the cost of Duke’s world class education within the reach of middle class America, so that it will not be limited to the very wealthy alone.