Aesthetics over accessibility?

A casual glance, it may seem public universities and colleges in Alabama would be feeling the pinch of a tight economy, having been hit with a 12 percent cut in state funding this year.

But it’s not the schools that are getting the pointed end of the stick. Tuition in Alabama has risen substantially, ranking our state as the nation’s second highest in percentage of increase in college costs.

Tuition at Alabama schools rose at an average of 13 percent over last year. But some schools saw even greater hikes.

Troy University’s tuition and fees rose almost 27 percent, from $4,264 per year in 2007-08 to the current $5,410 per year.

Meanwhile, the university has recently completed a cosmetic overhaul of parts of the campus, including a three-story, 13-ton decorative palladium atop a new education building.

Troy isn’t alone. Auburn University recently opened a new student activities center and has plans for a new basketball arena; meanwhile, students on the Plains are experiencing double-digit increases in tuition and fees.

Are Alabama’s universities sacrificing accessibility for aesthetics?