In an email sent to the Brandeis community last week, President Fred Lawrence announced a 3.7 percent increase in annual billed charges for the 2015-2016 academic year, a decision approved by the Board of Trustees.

The rise is identical to the tuition increase for the 2014-2015 academic year, according to an article from The Brandeis Hoot published in April 2014.

In the announcement, Lawrence addressed the issue of affordability of a Brandeis education for students. “We are also maintaining our commitment to making Brandeis accessible to students across the socioeconomic spectrum,” he wrote.

Over 50 percent of undergraduate students receive need-based financial assistance, according to official numbers on Brandeis’ admissions website.

“Raising funds to support our financial-aid program has been a top institutional priority, and I am proud that we have raised more than $45 million for the Catalyst Fund, an ambitious initiative to secure $100 million for student scholarships,” Lawrence wrote in the email.

Mentioning recent investments on campus to promote student safety, such as the new Rape Crisis Center, as well as the role of the Hiatt Career Center in bringing employers to campus, Lawrence discussed the specific renovations that will be occurring in the near future.

“Our largest dining hall, Sherman, will be entirely renovated this summer, including a much-needed expansion that will provide a wonderful new deck upstairs on the Stein pub facility. In addition, the Einstein Bros. Bagels/Brandeis Bookstore area will be expanded to a full-service operation. These changes will dramatically improve your overall dining experience across campus,” Lawrence wrote.

In addition to the dining hall renovations, the email stated that the work in Ziv Quad residence halls that began last summer will be completed, while first-year residence halls will also be updated, although specific upgrades were not mentioned.