The projected 5 percent tuition increase for next year may seem like a welcome break from past, higher increases, but the proof is in the fine print. Look closer at this shrinking number and you’ll find something else performing its own vanishing act-your financial aid.

That’s right, this year, for the first time, student aid will not be adjusted in proportion to relative tuition increases. No one wants to see the already colossal price of Simpson attendance balloon any further, but the blow is made even more harsh by the lack of financial aid in each student’s arsenal to try to combat this seemingly unstoppable trend.

Student loans are already a key term in almost every Simpson student’s financial vocabulary, but the term is tricky, especially when accompanied by an equally flabbergasting FAFSA process that provides little help for many middle-income families.

True, when we signed on to attend Simpson, we knew we were coming to a school with a price range much higher than most state and many private schools. We also undestand that, like so many other schools, Simpson must make changes to account for rising costs throughout the institution. Likewise, we apprecaite the fact that adjustments are being made across the board to be more energy efficient and fiscally responsible.

What we didn’t expect was to be left without adjusted financial assistance as inevitable increases ensued. While those of us with one or two years left may be able to squeeze through with some minor monetary adjustments, we can’t help but wonder what this change means in the long run, and how it will ultimately effect the student body size of our soon-to-be alma mater.