Richard Sternhagen

COM 412
Professor Vicky Hildebrandt
Topic Summary/Source List
The feature story I will be covering as my topic is the rising tuition prices on Marian
Universitys campus, and the reasons as to why its continuing to increase and the impact it has
upon students. My primary focus will be on getting the voices of those in charge of taking care
of the tuition, while also getting the voices of the faculty on campus to help determine what the
true means behind the increase of tuition actually is.
I will attempt to interview the members of the faculty who manage the students and their
care on campus, so as to try and get a broader perspective on any reasons as to why the tuition
prices are being bumped up higher. As well, I will try to get information from other members of
the faculty on any recent activity on campus that may have required additional funding, as that
may also act as a means for the tuition increase. Finally, I will search out articles and sources
that may give additional reasons as ty why a college campus tuition may increase, and use
examples from other colleges to try and compare to Marian University.

Richard Sternhagen
COM 412, Spring 2015
Story Source List
A. Previously published pieces
1. The Washington Post
August 28, 2013
SECTION: Wonkblog
HEADLINE: The Tuition is Too Damn High, Part III The Three Reasons Tuition is
Rising
2. National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
March 23, 2012
SECTION: Student Aid Perspectives
HEADLINE: Myths and Realities about Rising College Tuition
B. Primary Source
1. The Impact of Tuition Increases on Enrollment at Public Colleges and Universities at
http://epa.sagepub.com/. This sources focuses on how much tuition prices at
various colleges have increased over the past few years, and what sort of impacts this
may have on attending or interested students. This applies to my topic because it will
help to show the drastic change in tuition prices, and how the impacts could compare
to Marian University students.

C. Interview Subjects
1. Office of Financial Aid, 74 S. National Ave. Phone: 1-800-2MARIAN ext. 7614 or
(920) 923-7614, Fax: (920) 923-8767, finaid@marianuniversity.edu
Themes to discuss: why current change in the tuition amount was made, associating
factors to change, comparison of specific costs to pricing from last year

2. Paul Krikau, Dean of Student Engagement, Marian University. Phone: (920) 9237621, pwkrikau25@marianuniversity.edu
Themes to discuss: Impacts students may be feeling from change in tuition price,
how impacts on Marian University campus differ from other colleges, why change
was made (from their viewpoint)