The answer is obvious: Ursinus, like most colleges, isn't as filthy rich as Harvard, whose endowment of $35 billion is the largest in the nation.
"Maybe 30 colleges in the country can even think about doing what Harvard is doing," said DiFeliciantonio, whose school has $150 million in its coffers.
Last month, Harvard rocked the college landscape when it guaranteed that families earning between $120,000 and $180,000 would pay only 10 percent of their income for a year's tuition, room and board, which is about $46,000.
The surprising move comes at a time of record applications, rising college costs, and concern over increased student debt.
The ripple spread to other selective colleges, including the University of Pennsylvania, Yale, Swarthmore and Haverford, which pledged to reduce or eliminate student loans. Others say they are looking at awarding fewer merit scholarships and giving more aid to those in financial need.
But the vast majority of institutions say Harvard's move puts them at a disadvantage, forcing them to raise prices so they can afford to dispense more financial aid.
"Where are these other institutions that don't have the endowments of Harvard or Yale going to get the money to offer more financial aid?" asked William Durden, president of Dickinson College. "Raise tuition."
"Dickinson is not an unwealthy institution, but only the super wealthy can even think of this, and I think that's somewhat troubling," he said.
Schools say they are well aware that skyrocketing tuition continues to outpace inflation, and that students are borrowing more to pay for it.
The cost of college rose more than 6 percent this year, with tuition, room and board costing an average of $13,589 for public schools and $32,307 for private schools, according to the College Board.
