Dear Parents,

Every year at the February Board of Trustees meeting, our board approves the college's budget for the following academic year.

This decision comes after the faculty, staff, and students on our campus Budget Committee complete months of studying and analyzing the college's greatest needs and priorities. They send their recommendation to the trustees' Budget and Finance Committee and to me. On Saturday, the trustees set our 2020-21 tuition at $60,390. For those living on campus, the comprehensive fee will be $74,256, with a standard double room rate of $7,992 and the meal plan rate of $5,400.

Making Colorado College accessible to the brightest and most talented students is one of our strategic priorities. In order to do that, we are increasing the financial aid budget to support our current students as well as to provide opportunities for prospective students who face economic barriers to attending CC. This year we launched access initiatives including the Colorado Pledge and the Stroud Scholars program. Those CC students who currently receive financial assistance will receive information about next year's aid package by June 1.

We are also investing in improvements and opportunities for students, including hiring faculty in academic areas with high student demand, supporting our antiracism initiative, and further developing our new advising hub, which provides students with academic, co-curricular, and wellness support throughout their time at CC. Faculty and staff salaries must remain competitive so we can attract and retain excellent employees; these are the people who are so integral to creating an outstanding CC education and student experience. On campus, we are improving our athletics fields, working to remain carbon neutral, and enhancing our environmental sustainability efforts.

While I know that a Colorado College education is a significant investment, because of the generosity of donors we are able to offer an exceptional education at a comprehensive fee that is significantly below what we spend on each student. Major gifts help to fund construction projects such as Ed Robson Arena, as well as campus renovation projects such as Tutt Library. Our endowment earnings and annual fund donations provide almost a third of our operating budget. We are fortunate to have such support from alumni, parents, and friends.

It is our mission to provide our students with the finest residential liberal arts college education in the country and we are committed to offering them outstanding opportunities and programs that will serve them throughout their lives.

If you have any questions, please contact me at president@coloradocollege.edu.

Sincerely,

Jill Tiefenthaler P'21, P'24

President, Colorado College