Tuition, fees, inflation, mystery

Over 20 years, from 1988-89 to 2008-09, full-time undergraduate resident tuition and fees grew:

• 385% at Morehead
  
• 391% at Kentucky State
  
• 402% at UK's Lower Division
  
• 413% at Murray
  
• 415% at Louisville
  
• 417% at UK's Upper Division
  
• 433% at Eastern
  
• 483% at Northern
  
• 508% at Western
  
• 526% at KCTCS
  

Over the same twenty-year period, the cost of living grew:

• 82%, as measured by the Consumer Price Index

Why?

(Sources: growth calculated from CPE's Tuition History 1987-2009, with CPI calculated here.)