It has recently been brought to the attention of the SBA that student tuition at George Mason School of Law has been increasing at a rapid rate and next year’s tuition (FY 2012) may be the largest increase yet (possibly 10-12% higher). As tuition rises, student debt also rises, making it more difficult to pay off, especially in the current environment where jobs are hard to find. This rapid increase not only hurts current law students, but alumni as well, since it has a strong impact on the law school’s ranking. For example, at the time the current graduation class (2011) applied and matriculated, the law school was ranked #32 in the U.S. News and World rankings; now the law school is ranked #42. George Mason’s School of Law has continuously been the low-cost provider of quality legal education in the Mid-Atlantic regional market. But due to the slide in rankings and increase in tuition, we are rapidly becoming a high-cost, lower quality law school. For the foregoing reasons, we, the students of George Mason School of law, petition the law school's Board of Governors to stop the rapid, aggressive tuition increases at the law school for FY 2012 and following years. We ask that the Board of Governors consider one of two options: 1.) Freeze tuition increases for the next several years during this economic crisis, akin to what other schools have done (such as the University of Maryland and the University of New Hampshire), or 2.) Bring down percentage increases to NO more than 5% per year. For the sake of current, past, and future students, as well as the reputation of the law school itself, we believe it is your duty to stop these rapid, aggressive increases, and provide a more sustainable future for George Mason School of Law.