Lottery Scholarships provide Bargain To the editor: The June 24 Perspective by David Lon Page regarding the lottery scholarships argues for maintenance of standards of quality in higher education rather than modifying the grade requirements to retain a lottery scholarship. Reducing the standards for retaining the lottery scholarship is viewed by some as a way to ensure the continuing affordability of college for the average Tennessee undergraduate. In fact, the average entering in-State undergraduate this coming year will pay less tuition over four years at UTK than the entering students during 2001-2004, even when one accounts for the lack of retention of the lottery scholarship. A tuition cost analysis for UTK (available through the Faculty Senate web site) points out that the four year tuition cost for the average student entering this Fall is $12,398, while the cost for a student who entered 4 years ago was $17,322. The State has provided a tremendous bargain for all our students at UTK, not just those who retain the lottery scholarships. Those who do retain their scholarship will pay only about $6,400 in total over four years at UTK - the best educational bargain in Tennessee in well over a decade! Meeting the educational demands of the cadre of talented students now matriculating at UTK places tremendous stress on the University due to budgetary constraints that limit our ability to attract and retain qualified faculty. From a student perspective though, given the great increases in costs at our peer institutions, UTK should be viewed as the bargain of a lifetime. Louis J. Gross President, UTK Faculty Senate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Mathematics