MANSFIELD, PA—With the goal of increasing retention, student persistence and four-year graduation rates, Mansfield University will launch a new tuition pilot program in the fall of 2016.
The Freeze Individualized Tuition (FIT) program will charge tuition on a per-credit basis for all undergraduate students and freeze that tuition rate for eight consecutive fall and spring semesters. This pilot program is based on a four-year plan. A student’s tuition will not increase for eight semesters, excluding summer or winter terms, or until the first degree is conferred, whichever occurs first.
“As part of our commitment to provide access and affordability to all students, we continue to explore innovative ways such as FIT to control costs and provide opportunity to our students,” MU President Fran Hendricks said. “We believe this pilot program will increase enrollment while also increasing retention, student persistence, academic profile and four-year graduation rates.”
FIT will replace the current hybrid model in which students enrolled in 12–18 credits are charged a flat rate, and students who are not full-time are charged on a per-credit basis. At the time of implementation, per-credit tuition for all students with less than 90 credits earned to date will be frozen for subsequent academic semesters. Students with 90 or more credits will have the option either to pay the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s (PASSHE) per-credit rate or participate in FIT.
“This innovative program puts Mansfield University in a leadership position in addressing the rising cost of higher education,” Ralph Meyer, chairman of the MU Council of Trustees, said. “Freezing tuition increases for eight consecutive semesters will help students financially over the course of their education, and assist them in planning their higher education expenses. This program is also consistent with PASSHE’s mission of providing high quality education at an affordable cost.”
“We appreciate the support of the Mansfield Council of Trustees and PASSHE Board of Governors in approving FIT for implementation,” Hendricks said. “Increasing costs and concerns about student debt are major issues facing higher education and we believe this program helps to address those issues and give our students and their parents some cost assurance.”
FIT will be in place as a pilot program until 2019. At that time it will be evaluated to measure its effectiveness and viability to continue. Graduate courses, as well as summer and winter courses are not included in the program.
For more information on FIT, go to mansfield.edu/fit