<p>2009 will surely be a year when "value" will matter - a much larger pool needing financial aid and a lot more aid needed individually.</p>
<p>The thing that is so misleading about those rankings, though–at least Kiplinger’s-- is that it’s really a “best value list” for those who have financial need. For those who don’t qualify, there really should be another ranking that focuses on academic quality, total COA and merit aid awards. That ranking would look totally different.</p>
<p>With questions flying on every campus about the economic crisis’ impact on financial aid and academics, President Oden was quoted in last week’s Carletonian:</p>
<p>“The college also will not cut financial aid. Rather, the amount of money set aside for financial aid will increase next year, not only to make up for the regular rise in tuition but also to cover any special need that may arise among students currently at Carleton who require additional financial aid as a result of job loss or other symptoms of the financial downturn.”</p>
<p>"In addition to replacing those faculty members retiring at the end of this year, the college plans to add four new tenure-track faculty positions next year. At a time when many schools are freezing or reducing the size of their faculty, the open positions at Carleton are very competitive. For one position in the math department, the school received 570 applications, according to Oden.</p>
<p>Oden said that the quality of the student body and the faculty are central to the Carleton experience and will continue to be supported by the college. “Let’s cut back on things that are not central,” he said."</p>