Students at Tufts Protest 1980-81 Tuition Increase

Inflation is forcing a lot of people to change their habits these days--including the students at Tufts University. An estimated 500 Tufts students rolled out of bed early Saturday morning to rally against a proposed $1226 increase in tuition, room and board costs next year.

The students demonstrated outside Mugar Hall shortly before Tufts trustees were to meet inside to approve next year's budget.

Thomas M. Alperin, chairman of the Tufts Student Senate, said the students were protesting a tuition increase which many could not afford, and what they see as "too much focus being put on the graduate schools and not enough attention being given to the undergraduate student body."

The $1226 increase would represent a 15.8-per-cent jump from this year's tuition, room and board costs of $7773.

A student source said that the trustees had agreed to cut next year's tuition by $75, a report the administration refused to confirm.