Taking into consideration the news of a $25 million budget cut and almost certain drastic cuts to come at the State Legislature, it is inevitable that tuition will rise sharply in the coming year.

Meanwhile, state and federal aid to students is drying up. Combine this with the staggering 17,000 applications for admission received for next year’s incoming class – of which roughly one-third was accepted – and a broader picture emerges. The twin missions of the University, access and excellence, are becoming increasingly unbalanced.

Last year, administrators implemented several reforms to undergraduate academic policy, including the much-publicized 13-credit minimum. The aim of these policies was to boost graduation rates and improve the academic excellence of the institution.

Now that students are fulfilling these expectations, it is only proper that the administration fight just as hard to ensure the broadest amount of access possible. This means thinking of the financial circumstances of students first.