With the rising costs of tuition making university access limited to only a certain number of fortunate students, it is institutions such as William Paterson University that are truly doing the nation a service by choosing to raise their fees by only 2% during the academic years of 2012 to 2013. This came as a shock to many within the higher education industry, especially since they did the same thing the year before – and this was the lowest increase in around 30 years.
Affordable Higher Education
The tuition fees expected of an average student attending William Paterson is currently set at about $11,694 for the year 2012 to 2013, and this has made the institution one of the most affordable higher education establishments in New Jersey. During the period of 2011 to 2012, eligible students were also granted $10.5 million in the form of grants and scholarships, making it even more affordable for those seeking to obtain a qualification through this institution.
William Paterson University Takes Education Seriously
According to the vice president for student development, John Martone, “William Paterson University is very sensitive to the issue of college affordability, and we have made a concerted effort for the second year in a row to hold our increase in tuition and fees to 2%, which is among the lowest in the state”. He also stated that the establishment is aware of the fact that students and family members often find themselves in a position where they cannot afford to pay the tuition expected by higher education institutions, and the university is taking an active role in ensuring that the efficiency with which they run will be able to assist in making their tuition as affordable as possible for prospective students.
William Paterson University Paving The Way For The Future
Not only has William Paterson University made efforts to ensure that prospective students are able to take advantage of the lowered tuition costs for the upcoming year, they are also taking measures that will see these benefits continue to be granted to students in the future. The institution seeks to accomplish this by instilling certain measures into the running of the institution that will allow it to function more efficiently and at a lower cost; the savings will then be passed down to the students in terms of lower tuition.
One of the initiatives taken up by the university is the installation of solar panels through which to run some parts of the establishment, and these are set to save the institution about $4 million in utilities over a period of 15 years, and they will contribute to about 20% of the establishment’s total energy requirements. Measures such as joint purchases in conjunction with other universities, as well as collaborations in terms of organizations and institutions will add to the savings that William Paterson seeks to build up. With universities such as this paving the way, it might only be a matter of time before others make the decision to follow; a decision that will benefit students all over the nation and reap many rewards.
About Elizabeth Pelz