Colleges and universities across the country have closed their doors, shuttered their facilities, and moved to a virtual setting. Stevens is no exception. While first-year students and some staff are allowed on campus, most of the student body is experiencing college remotely. Many students have voiced their concern with an online college setting, explaining that virtual learning does not offer the same benefits or opportunities as in-person learning. In response to this concern, some colleges have decided to adjust their tuition to reflect this undesirable learning environment. For instance, Lehigh University, Johns Hopkins University, and Princeton University announced a 10% decrease in tuition costs.
Contrary to surrounding universities such as Lehigh and Princeton, Stevens did not lower its tuition this semester but rather increased it. In response to this, students have rallied to voice their concerns to the administration. On August 3, the SGA sent out a survey to the student body to collect responses, thoughts, and opinions about Stevens’ tuition for the Fall 2020 semester.
After several days, the survey garnered over 1,200 responses. The Student Government Association (SGA) collected the concerns that were raised in this survey covering a range of topics from tuition to housing and emailed them to the administration, specifically the Young Alumni Trustees, who are the main points of contact for the SGA on the Board of Trustees. On August 31, SGA President Samantha Molla announced that the Board of Trustees was in active discussion over how to handle these concerns, and she stated that “we don’t know what to expect, but are actively still talking about these issues with upper administration and hope that a resolution will be made in the students’ favor.”
Outside of the SGA, parents of Stevens students have also rallied to voice their concerns. On August 27, a petition letter in the form of a Google Doc was posted in the Stevens Institute of Technology Parents Facebook group that called for a tuition reduction for the Fall 2020 semester; any parents or students were free to sign this letter to show their support. This letter was also posted in other Facebook groups for Stevens students, and it addressed the concern among students that the lack of adequate educational resources in this online environment makes for a deficient learning experience. According to the letter, “while we understand that alternatives will be made available to fulfill course requirements with remote learning, these are certainly no substitute for being in a lab on campus.” The letter currently has over 120 signatures from parents and students, and it has been sent to President Farvardin. A link to the petition letter can be found here.
After much deliberation within the higher administration on these concerns and desires for a tuition reduction, a conclusion was announced on September 11 in the form of the Stevens Grant Program. This program, which was made possible by $3.3 million of institutional funding, would give $500 to every full-time student as well as allocate additional funds to the Office of Financial Aid to help alleviate some financial burdens. This grant is scheduled to be posted to each eligible student’s account by October 15. The announcement additionally noted that Stevens is expecting a negative budget impact of $36 million for the current fiscal year and this grant program will increase it to $39 million. When combined with the CARES Act funding and the Stevens Rises Relief Fund, this program is aiming to provide relief for struggling students and their families.
Featured image courtesy of Andrew Kinney for The Stute.
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