ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – The Winthrop University Board of Trustees voted unanimously at its June 19 meeting for no tuition increase for the 2020-21 academic year.
Board Chair Glenn McCall said the vote signified that trustees understand how a COVID-19-shuttered economy has negatively affected students and their families.
“Keeping tuition at 2019-20 levels is a way we can show prospective and returning students that the Winthrop family will assist them in fulfilling their educational goals, even in uncertain times,” McCall said.
In-state tuition for undergraduate students will remain at $7,653 each semester. Out-of-state students will continue to pay $14,818 for a semester. Graduate School rates also will remain the same.
"I appreciate the board's leadership and the commitment to our students and their families," Interim President George W. Hynd said before the meeting. "We know that keeping our tuition at 2019-20 levels this year is the right thing to do, and I know it will help the many families who are preparing to send their students to Winthrop."
Winthrop room fees, which vary according to the type of housing chosen, will be discounted as a result of the university’s decision to move to remote instruction after Thanksgiving. Students can expect to see a reduction of 6.8 percent for fall housing fees compared to last year due to the reduced semester time on campus. In the spring, those fees will go up 3.5 percent compared to last year.
The university’s meal plans will be increased 2.4 percent in the fall over last year’s rate and then it will climb 1.6 percent in the spring, for a total of 4 percent for the year. Winthrop has contractual obligations with its food service provider, Sodexo.
University fees will remain the same except for the health fee which will increase from $180 to $195 in order to ensure adequate health and counseling support for students during the pandemic.
Trustees also heard details of Winthrop’s plan to re-open the campus for new and returning students in August. Classes will involve face-to-face instruction, online delivery or a hybrid blend of campus-based and online instruction. Class sizes, scheduling and locations are being evaluated to help protect students, faculty and staff from COVID-19.
Some staff members returned to work on June 1 as part of a three-phase re-opening plan. Additional staff will return to work later this summer as the university prepares for its 135th academic year.
The Board of Trustees also approved a balanced budget of $117,653,787 for 2020-21, down from last year’s budget of $123,899,970. The university is still waiting to hear what state appropriations will be after lawmakers approve the state budget this fall.
More information on tuition and fees is available on the Cashier's Office website or contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager at longshawj@winthrop.edu.
