Tuition for the 2017-2018 academic year will be $50,650, an increase of 3.5 percent ($1,700) from the $48,950 charged for 2016-2017, Provost Holden Thorp announced via a letter sent to students and parents Thursday morning.

Provost Holden Thorp spoke about the nuanced intersection between business and university education as part of a lecture series aiming to delve into some of the more complex modern issues in higher education.

Provost Holden Thorp, whose job description typically entails academic planning, budgeting and facilities, is stepping back into the classroom this coming semester to teach a course focusing on elements of higher education.

SOCIOECONOMIC ISSUE: When it comes to changes in Washington University’s stance on socioeconomic diversity in recent years, many are quick to identify as the impetus Provost Holden Thorp. Widely viewed as Chancellor Mark Wrighton’s heir presumptive, Thorp has held the position of provost at the University since July 2013, when he left his job as chancellor at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Provost Holden Thorp decided to take on a different sort of project this summer—one that made use of his depth of experience working as an administrator in institutions of higher education.

The new plan announced by the University on Thursday evening calls for an increase in Pell-eligible students on the Danforth campus to 13 percent by 2020, with $25 million to be devoted annually toward achieving this goal.

A WU/FUSED petition asks that Washington University bring its Pell Grant-eligible student percentage up to par with peer institutions by 2020, release information about different strategies for reaching that goal, increase support for students in St. Louis Public Schools to apply and attend, and increase financial aid to cover additional expenses.

Recent national media has criticized Washington University for its controversial “need-aware” admissions policies and low percentage of Pell Grant recipients, but administrators say that though they hope to increase that percentage, they are not able to do so immediately.

We view the given explanation as logical but insufficient, failing to mask the administration’s attempt to beat around the bush when it comes to the pressing issues of socioeconomic diversity at this school that have been ignored for several years.

A panel intended to discuss undergraduate tuition took detours to touch on other hot-button issues such as socioeconomic diversity, community involvement and the role of campus facilities in the student experience.