In a bid to give more students the chance to live on campus and make sure they complete their degrees, the University of Akron will cut housing rates next year by 30%, saving students more than $2,500.
It will also maintain current tuition rates. The university estimates overall costs next year will be 9% less than this year.
Provost John Wiencek says the goal is to keep students in school at a time when many may be tempted to leave because of financial hardship caused by the pandemic.
“We are at a moment as a university where we’re coming together very strongly among the faculty, staff, students, and the leadership and the board that we want to send a clear message that we’re about student success.”
Wiencek says outstanding housing costs sometimes prevent students from registering for classes in the fall. He says the university’s residence life leaders suggested this change as a way to retain more students.
He also says living in one of the nine residence halls offers students a more nurturing environment among their peers as well as easier access to faculty, which leads them to progress better in their studies.
"We're trying to meet the students where they are and try to match the price of both our housing contracts as well as our tuition to the capacity for those students to pay," he said.
