Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Board of Governors approved a recommendation by Clarion University of Pennsylvania to lower its nonresident tuition rate from 200 percent to 150 percent of the resident rate, effective fall 2012.
“We took this step with the hope of making Clarion University more accessible to nonresident undergraduate students,” said Dr. Ron Nowaczyk, Clarion University provost. “We recognize the importance of college cost and want to make Clarion more affordable and attractive to residents of nearby states. We decided to be aggressive in providing the lowest cost, high quality program we could in today’s economic environment.”
With the change, Clarion University, along with Edinboro University, provides the lowest overall nonresident tuition of the PASSHE schools. Nowaczyk noted that even with this change in tuition, nonresident students are paying more than resident students with state appropriations added.
For the 2011-12 academic year, resident student tuition is $3,120 per semester, and nonresident tuition is $6,240. PASSHE sets tuition for the 14 state-owned universities, and the 2012-13 rate has not yet been determined, but under current tuition rates, the 50 percent tuition reduction means nonresident students will pay $1,560 less per semester.
Admissions counselors are focusing on advertising programs that are unique to Clarion, and the university will offer, in fall 2012, living learning communities for both resident and nonresident first-year students.
“These living learning communities allow students to live in campus residence halls that are theme- or discipline-based,” Nowaczyk said. “National research has shown these living-learning communities lead to higher success rates among college students and help with the transition from high school to college.”
The tuition reduction will go into effect for current nonresident students in fall 2012, except for those already receiving a 50 percent waiver for academic qualifications. For those students, the lower tuition rate replaces the waiver that had been in effect. Tuition for nonresident graduate students has been at 150 percent of the resident rate, and that will not change.
“We had more nonresident students enroll, proportionally, that were getting the 150 percent rate (with the 50 percent waiver) than those not getting the waiver,” Nowaczyk said.
Slightly more than 10 percent of the current student population are nonresidents.
Nowaczyk said the hope is to grow the campus with a mix of both resident and nonresident students.
Clarion University’s 7,000 students come from 45 states and 31 countries. They may choose from more than 90 degree programs at associate, bachelor’s and master’s levels. The 1-19 faculty-student ratio means personal attention from professors. More than 150 campus organizations offer opportunities for involvement and leadership. Students may choose to live in upscale student apartments, upscale, environmentally friendly student suites, or traditional residence halls.
