Charter Oak State College, Connecticut’s public online college, has announced it will hold its tuition rate flat for Fiscal Year 2021 and reduce its student service fees for an overall 2.5% reduction in fees. The new policy begins July 1, 2020.
Ed Klonoski, President, Charter Oak State College said, “We are on a mission to continue to deliver a high quality, affordable online option for working adults in Connecticut and elsewhere who are seeking an academic credential. This includes providing fair and equitable rates for our students who are often juggling financial pressures including homeownership/housing and raising families.”
The online College will hold its FY2021 tuition rates flat for both in-state and out-of-state undergraduate and graduate students. It will reduce its Student Services Fee, now charged three times annually, by eliminating the summer fee for those students who do not register for courses in the summer semester. Currently the College charges three Student Services fees annually regardless of whether a student is actively taking courses in that semester.
The College attributes its ability to make these changes to its positive enrollment increases and support it has received from the Connecticut legislature. The Colleges Chief Financial Officer Michael Moriarty says of the plan, “Two years ago the Connecticut legislature gave us additional state support, and holding the line on tuition growth is our way of using that support to directly benefit our students.”
Additionally, the College continues to buck many state and national downward enrollment trends, recently noting an almost 2% increase in its Spring semester enrollment. The Colleges President attributes that to a combination of factors including increasing its marketing presence and launching new in-demand programs including a 100% online RN/ADN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) and a an online Master of Science in Health Care Administration. An online Master of Science in Health Informatics is on tap to launch Fall 2020.
“Our enrollment success is intertwined with our cost/quality mission. Plus, we have strong graduation rates and low student loan default rates. These are all factors that we are constantly assessing to ensure our fiscal responsibility to our students, the College and the State,” said Klonoski.
Founded in 1973, Charter Oak State College (www.CharterOak.edu) is Connecticut’s public online college, offering associate and bachelor’s degrees in high-demand fields including Health Information Management, Nursing, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education and Business Administration. The College offers master’s degrees in Health Care Administration and Organizational Leadership. Charter Oak is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and governed by Connecticut’s Board of Regents for Higher Education.