By Anna Gombert
On Sunday, September 10, President Baenninger sent out a campus wide email, announcing the university’s plan to reset tuition, reducing it by 20 percent. The news was then shared across the university’s different social media accounts. The following evening, an informational forum was held about the topic in Crawford Hall, where students could learn more about the reset and ask questions.
The reset restores tuition price back to that of 2010, and reduces the tuition from $48,336 to $38,668, about a $10,000 decrease. On Drew’s website, under the frequently asked questions section, it was stated, “It is very difficult for families to assess the value of a Drew University education before they apply because there is currently a very large ‘disconnect’ between the ‘sticker price’ of our tuition and what students and families actually pay, which is considerably less.”
After the information session, the provost Dr. Liebowitz stated, “I think it’s really critical that Drew is trying to be a trailblazer and is trying to be outfront in terms of being transparent about the price of a college education.” She continued, “We recognize that it doesn’t make sense, and, at the same time, we’re still gonna be giving a tremendous amount of financial aid.” She also explained how Drew is actually pretty affordable to most students through financial aid and scholarships as well as how Drew is one of the top three schools in New Jersey for lowest student debt.
“I felt a lot of relief because I had anxiety about coming up with 10,000 exactly for my next three years at Drew and having this decrease eased almost all of my fears for college. So I guess I’m a lot more relaxed now,” Sophia Aburmeileh (‘21) stated. “It makes me feel less guilty about coming to a school like Drew with its tuition because I have a younger brother who will be going to college my junior year.”
Zoey LaChance (’18) said, “I think it’s an amazing gift for future students, although I am concerned it will lead to a decrease in payment for professors, many of whom I feel get ripped off anyways, at least in the art department.” She added, “I am mildly offended that it didn’t happen before we left and I kind of want my money back, since my grandmother is using her retirement money to send me to school and personally, I’m dreading telling her that she spent so much more than she needed to just because I was born in the wrong year.”
While some students still have questions about the decrease and how it will specifically affect their financial packages, attendance was low at the forum on Monday evening. Senior Vice President of Enrollment and Institutional Planning, Dr. Robert Massa said, “All students need to know is that they will be better off than they are right now.”
Photo from drew.com/letsbeclear
