Let's examine the history of LSUS undergraduate enrollment vs. its tuition and fees. Download the "A3Q1 LSUS enrollment data" Excel file; in it you will see historical information on LSUS undergraduate enrollment, total credit hour production, and (12-hour) tuition and fees. (If you wish, you can verify or look up additional information here, here, and here.)

Calculate annual elasticities for both types of quantity variables (i.e., you will have an elasticity of price vs. headcount, and one of price vs. credit hour). You will get an error message in your calculations when the tuition doesn't change (like in 1991-1992 and 1994-1996), since the elasticity calculation will be trying to divide by zero; just delete those error values in your Excel table so that the cells are blank. The first headcount elasticity will be calculated based on the 1989 and 1990 values of tuition and headcount and should be about -1.113; the first credit hour elasticity will also be based on the 1989 and 1990 values and should be about -3.217). Calculate the average annual elasticity for headcount (from 1989-2019), and the average annual elasticity for credit hour (from 1989-2019).

Many administrators argue that, to increase revenue to LSUS to cover budget shortfalls, tuition should be raised. Comment on this suggestion, using the evidence you've uncovered.

Year Undergrad enrollment total credit hour production Underg. tuition and fees

1989 3,594 94,450 $730

1990 3,540 90,404 $740

1991 3,756 98,635 $740

1992 4,017 102,826 $740

1993 3,890 96,864 $965

1994 3,656 91,152 $965

1995 3,631 90,216 $965

1996 3,354 86,790 $965

1997 3,516 91,578 $1,025

1998 3,678 94,979 $1,025

1999 3,553 94,396 $1,025

2000 3,422 90,624 $1,025

2001 3,419 94,446 $1,150

2002 3,543 96,039 $1,184

2003 3,655 101,352 $1,442

2004 3,910 101,868 $1,545

2005 3,940 100,181 $1,621

2006 3,594 92,486 $1,667

2007 3,556 92,123 $1,667

2008 3,903 94,639 $1,751

2009 4,220 101,972 $1,867

2010 4,058 98,137 $2,062

2011 4,134 98,372 $2,247

2012 4,124 93,163 $2,472

2013 3,674 85,292 $2,803

2014 3,202 87,907 $3,084

2015 2,775 91,021 $3,355

2016 2,587 94,077 $3,417

2017 2,638 115,340 $3,417

2018 2,511 137,467 $3,663

2019 2,577 165,057 $3,663