GrandpaaSmucker wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 12:20 pm
nebugeater wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 11:46 am
The University systems announced today that they will be tuition-free for in-state families with an income of less than 60K.
This will be interesting to see play out. I wonder this things out of the gate.
How many current students meet this now?
What will it do to increase enrollment numbers?
What will the impact be on the University's budget?
https://www.omaha.com/news/education/un ... a7378.html
Nebraska students whose family income is $60,000 or less will be able to attend the University of Nebraska tuition-free, NU President Ted Carter announced Friday.
Carter made the announcement during an NU Board of Regents meeting in Lincoln.
"In other words," Carter said, "if your family is at or below the median income level in Nebraska, we’re promising you can pay no tuition at the University of Nebraska."
I don't believe it. Not for a second do I believe it. Since when in this tight wad state did they ever care about helping the poor people. Half the families in this state do not make over 60,000 a year. I will believe it only when I see it!
I do not think this is too far fetched, but it's a pleasant surprise in light of everything going on. Though, based on the article, this will only affect a handful of students, relatively at least.
The university’s existing need-based financial aid program, Collegebound Nebraska, guarantees tuition-free education for qualifying Pell-eligible Nebraska students. Nearly 3,000 students currently attend NU tuition-free under Collegebound Nebraska.
The expanded Nebraska Promise would cover approximately 1,000 additional current and future NU students.
Based on this article, the UN system lost enrollment at UNL, UNO, and UNK, with UNMC the only institution showing positive growth last year.
https://www.omaha.com/news/education/en ... 88438.html
I think that even if they provide free tuition for a handful of disadvantaged students, the university could be in the net positive with additional costs that are not free like dormitories and fees from students who would otherwise not be there or even try to apply. Additionally, the students applying still need to go through the admission process and be accepted. Furthermore, the estimated 1,000 students covered would encompass just 2% of the system's total enrollment.