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The Hamilton College Board of Trustees hasvoted to increase total charges for the 1998-99 academic year by 3.9 percent,the lowest percentage in a quarter century.

Total charges for attending the highly selective liberal arts college will be$29,450, including $23,600 for tuition and required fees, $2,950 for room and$2,900 for the full board plan. The current cost to attend Hamilton is$28,350.

"When setting the fees for next year," said Hamilton's Vice President forAdministration and Finance Daniel J. O'Leary, "the trustees sought to balancethe college's commitment to providing one of the nation's finest liberal artseducations with the financial constraints faced by many of our students andtheir families. Our goal was to protect the integrity of the academic program,while remaining affordable to current and future students."

O'Leary said Hamilton will add 6 percent to the financial aid budget, making$13.1 million in college-funded aid available for students in the 1998-99academic year. "We have a commitment to remain accessible to those studentswhose academic preparation warrants admission to Hamilton," O'Leary said.Nearly 60 percent of Hamilton students currently receive financial aid. Theaverage financial aid package, including college-funded grants, loans andwork-study, is approximately $18,500.

In addition to increasing the financial aid budget, O'Leary said the addedrevenue will keep faculty compensation competitive with other selectiveindependent colleges and enable Hamilton to institute a more frequent and moreregular replacement schedule for Hamilton's growing inventory of computerequipment.

"Certainly the quality of the faculty is at the core of the educationalexperience, and we must protect that resource," O'Leary said. "At the sametime, sophisticated computers and high-speed networks are increasinglyfundamental components for the academic program. Computers and networkelectronics that are new today are obsolete in three to five years. Thereplacement program adopted by our trustees will ensure that our students andfaculty have immediate and direct access to the most up-to-date technology topursue their academic programs."

The 3.9 percent figure represents the lowest percentage increase at Hamiltonsince fees rose by 3.4 percent in 1973-74. It is the fourth consecutive yearthat total charges have increased by the less than 5 percent.

"We expect that Hamilton's rate of increase will be below the national averagefor the eighth consecutive year," O'Leary said.

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