In My Opinion: In Support of Independent Higher Education
Pacific has long prided itself on providing access to higher education for students who are the first in their family to attend college. 
From the Winter 2006 Pacific Review
By Donald V. DeRosa
America has long been regarded as having the best colleges and universities in the world. Among the nation’s 4,200 institutions of higher learning, some 1,700 are "public," meaning that they depend on the taxpayers for a substantial portion of their funding. The remaining 2,500 are "private" institutions that operate independently, raising nearly all their funds from tuition and donations.
University of the Pacific has been an independent institution since our founding in 1851. As Pacific graduates, you know firsthand the benefits that private universities provide students, including personal attention and academic rigor. I am also a graduate of an independent college, and I often reflect upon the lifelong benefits I received from that experience.
You may be surprised to know that independent colleges and universities serve a diverse group of 3.8 million students. These institutions provide affordable access to students from all walks of life, and often significantly outperform their public counterparts on measures of student success. Moreover, private institutions serve society at a far lower cost to the taxpayers.
Consider these facts. In 2002, 29 percent of the students attending independent institutions were from minority backgrounds, compared to 28 percent at state four-year schools. At Pacific, about half the students are minority group members. Furthermore, national data show that students who are the first in their families to attend college are more likely to earn their degree when attending a private institution than when attending public one.
Pacific has long prided itself on providing access to higher education for students who are the first in their family to attend college. Over 20 percent of our current students come from such families. For close to 40 years, Pacific has provided full four-year scholarships to qualified Stockton-area students who are the first in their families to attend college, asking nothing in return except that these young men and women perform volunteer service to the community. Today more than 125 students are attending free of charge under this innovative program.
Although private universities may have a higher "sticker price" than their public counterparts, the majority of students at private institutions pay far less than the published rate. At Pacific, four out of every five undergraduates receive financial aid, and 29 percent receive Cal Grants, which help students who are academically talented and demonstrate financial need.
Pacific awards $90 million a year in financial aid to students on the Stockton campus. Some $30 million of that aid is funded directly by the university.
And even those who pay the full tuition rate are not being charged the full costs of their education. On average, published tuition at private universities covers only 62 percent of the full cost of providing an education. Gifts, grants and endowment income help to make up the difference.
Another fact: students tend to graduate sooner from private colleges and universities than from their public counterparts. Close to 80 percent of students at independent institutions finish their bachelor’s degree in four years, compared to fewer 50 percent of those at state four-year schools. In the one to two extra years that many public university students spend finishing their degrees, our graduates have begun their careers and are earning salaries. With Pacific’s four-year graduation guarantee and accelerated professional programs, we are especially strong in this regard.
Your university provides great benefits to California, and does so at a far lower cost to the taxpayer than the state institutions.
Tens of thousands of California residents have gained a superior, student-centered learning experience at Pacific. To offer you a snapshot, some 25 percent of the Central Valley’s pharmacists and 28 percent of its dentists were educated at Pacific. Over 12,600 of Pacific’s 50,000 alumni live in the five counties from Sacramento to Fresno, including 1,502 educators; 440 pharmacists; 438 dentists; 260 attorneys and 163 engineers. Countless others serve as leaders in their professions and communities.
I’m proud of the role that this institution plays in providing affordable access to a highly distinctive, personalized education, and I’m very grateful for the work that our dedicated and talented faculty and staff play in providing that education.
