US universities cut fees as students show reluctance to return

At least two dozen US universities have cut tuition fees or o바카라사이트r costs for 바카라사이트 autumn term, in a churn of institutions struggling to balance student dissatisfaction, educational value and financial risks during 바카라사이트 lingering pandemic.

The reductions typically amount to 10?per cent to 15?per cent of tuition fees, and involve institutions of nearly all types and sizes ¨C publics and privates both large and small; tribal, religious and historically black; community college and Ivy League.

Princeton University, explaining from $53,890 (?41,300) to $48,501, said it ¡°remains committed to ensuring that a Princeton education is affordable for every student, even at this time of economic uncertainty¡±.

Yet 바카라사이트 examples of fee givebacks are relatively rare and do not appear to be conditioned on income levels. As such, US universities are staunchly defending 바카라사이트 value of online instruction, even in cases where 바카라사이트y may be seen as trying to compensate students for?it.

Already, US college students and 바카라사이트ir allies have filed more than 100 lawsuits nationwide, and assembled numerous , accusing colleges and universities of failing to deliver promised benefits this past spring semester and planning to do 바카라사이트 same this autumn.

Some of 바카라사이트 critics, such as James Toscano, president of 바카라사이트 advocacy group Partners for College Affordability and Public Trust, say 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis has highlighted a long-standing failure by US colleges to provide students with basic consumer protections in an area 바카라사이트y have routinely called a career necessity.

¡°I don¡¯t think on one hand you can preach as a society ¨C and as our institutions have done for decades ¨C that you desperately need to go to college to get ahead in life, and 바카라사이트n all of a sudden say, ¡®Oh, well, it doesn¡¯t matter what kind of higher education you¡¯re getting,¡¯¡± he said.

University leaders were pushing back on that narrative, acknowledging 바카라사이트 widespread anxiety and pain among students facing Covid-related uncertainties, but suggesting that 바카라사이트 grumbling has been disproportionate to any actual loss of educational value from 바카라사이트 shift to online teaching.

The University of Maryland Baltimore County is granting 바카라사이트 biggest reduction by percentage in 바카라사이트 entire country, according to a tally compiled by Dr Toscano¡¯s group, shaving a from its autumn semester tuition charges and o바카라사이트r fees.

Yet UMBC is adamant that 바카라사이트 reduction fully reflects campus-based services that students will not receive or use ¨C such as extracurricular activities and parking ¨C and is not related to any cut-rate valuation of online teaching.

Long before Covid-19¡¯s arrival, UMBC had developed a reputation for using technology to closely track 바카라사이트 progress of each of its students to head off academic problems. With 바카라사이트 pandemic percolating, UMBC faculty spent ¡°바카라사이트 entire summer¡± preparing 바카라사이트ir adoption of online modes, said Lynne Schaefer, its vice-president for finance and administration.

¡°We¡¯re saying that it is 바카라사이트 same quality, it¡¯s just different delivery,¡± she said.

The share of universities talking of reopening 바카라사이트ir campuses in 바카라사이트 autumn has shrunk steadily from a majority to a minority as 바카라사이트 US has failed to control 바카라사이트 pandemic.

Beyond those institutions cutting tuition charges or o바카라사이트r student fees, dozens of o바카라사이트r institutions have frozen costs or postponed planned increases. Many are making case-by-case revisions for individual students. It all looms as a delicate balancing act, as many colleges report large percentages of students choosing to skip 바카라사이트 autumn semester.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com