Coronavirus and Winthrop: What to know on summer tuition, recruitment efforts

Winthrop students who take classes this summer will pay less.

Winthrop University’s board of trustees unanimously voted Monday to reduce tuition for 2020 summer classes, a release from the college states.

Summer tuition is typically about 20 percent cheaper than during the fall and spring, according to Winthrop. The board voted to decrease the cost of summer classes by another 12 percent amid changes due to coronavirus, or COVID-19, concerns.

Winthrop moved all classes online earlier this month due to the virus.

“We recognize the concern many students and families have about continuing the Winthrop experience during this unprecedented and challenging economic time,” Winthrop interim president George Hynd said in a prepared statement. “The reduction is the right thing to do as it will help our students benefit from fewer dollars invested in progress toward their degree over the next few months. It is intended to help them stay on track for on-time graduation.”

Winthrop’s division of academic affairs has recommended to the board that classes offered May 18-June 5 and those beginning June 8 be completed online, the release states. Classes that require on-campus meetings should be scheduled for the July 13-Aug. 2 summer session.

Tuition for in-state undergraduate students this summer is now $450 per credit hour, down from $511, the release states. For graduate students, tuition is $451, down from $513 per credit hour.

For out-of-state undergraduate students, tuition is $1,087 per credit hour, down from $1,235, according to Winthrop. For graduate students, out of state tuition is $1,086 per credit hour, down from $1,234.

For out-of-state students pursuing certificate programs, the cost is $850 per credit hour, the release states.

Summer online program costs are as follows: $805 for Master of Arts in arts administration, $686 for Master of Business Administration, $660 for Master of Education in special education intervention, and $836 for the Master of Social Work, the release states.

Students who receive tuition discounts normally will still receive them, according to Winthrop. The reduced rate also applies to non-degree seeking students and students attending other colleges.

Winthrop hopes to provide 80% of summer 2020 courses completely online, the release states. The university has moved 100 more courses fully online than in summer 2019. Faculty are being trained to successfully offer courses online.

“This reduction will benefit any student who wants to use summer to maintain momentum in meeting their goals, replace a grade or retake a course, as well as retain or regain their LIFE scholarship,” Provost and Executive Vice President Adrienne McCormick said in a prepared statement. It would also help students stay on track who may need a prerequisite for a fall course or who are looking to change their major.”

Recruitment

Reducing summer tuition can help Winthrop’s current students and attract new students, said Eduardo Prieto, vice president for access and enrollment management.

Recruitment continues to be a top priority for Hynd and other Winthrop leaders. Winthrop hopes to enroll 1,100 new freshmen and 300 or more transfer students in fall 2020, Prieto said. He said the goal is to increase total enrollment to 6,000.

Higher education institutes already have a challenge when it comes to recruiting and retaining students.

Hynd said during an interview with The Herald earlier this month that the pool of potential university students is growing just about 5% in the south and 3% or lower in northern parts of the country. Some areas are seeing a decline, increasing competition among colleges, he said.

Coronavirus further challenges recruitment efforts, Prieto said. He said Winthrop is using multiple tools to stay in contact with perspective students, including e-mail, phone calls, video chats, online meetings, social media and recruitment videos.

“We’re trying to exhaust every possible medium to stay in touch with students,” Prieto said.

Saturday was supposed to be Winthrop Day, a day set aside for students admitted to Winthrop to tour the campus and meet with peers, Prieto said. The event has been postponed and will be done virtually rather than on campus. More details will be shared with the Winthrop community.

Winthrop’s current and past recruitment efforts have amassed a decent pool of perspective students for fall 2020, Prieto said.

For the second year, Winthrop surpassed its record number of freshman applications. As of Feb. 5, 6,125 people had applied for the Winthrop class of 2024, up from 6,101 for fall 2019, The Herald previously reported.

“We’re in pretty good shape for this fall,” Prieto said. “But we don’t know how this is going to shake out.”

Higher applications does not automatically equal higher enrollment, Prieto said.

Typically, he said, Winthrop would have a good idea of enrollment numbers by mid-May. Amid the pandemic, perspective students and their families face uncertainty, which could cause some students to push back choosing their school, Prieto said.

Coronavirus changes and uncertainty can also make keeping current students a challenge, Prieto said.

“It may be schools start thinking about recruiting their own students,” he said.

Prieto said Winthrop’s culture and focus on relationships may help the university attract and retain students.

“The level of engagement with Winthrop and the type of culture we have is very attractive to many students and families,” he said. “A lot of potential new students feel that as well.”

Amanda Harris

The Herald

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Amanda Harris covers issues related to children and families in York, Chester and Lancaster County for The Herald. Amanda works with local schools, parents and community members to address important topics such as school security, mental health and the opioid epidemic. She graduated from Winthrop University. Support my work with a digital subscription