Today Chancellor DiStefano presented to the CU Board of Regents as part of the University of Colorado’s continuing affordability discussion. I am so proud of the work we have done as a campus, and as a team, to make it easier for our students to attain a highly valuable college degree, and with less debt. The chancellor had many positive things to talk about.
At CU Boulder we are providing more aid and serving more Colorado students than any other time in our history. Since 2013, we have consistently implemented affordability measures to contain the rising cost of tuition. More than 9,000 students are receiving one of our merit- or need-based institutional aid scholarships.
A more affordable education is one element in improving the college experience for our students. Whether it is investments in academics, infrastructure, or campus support services, we are on a path of continuous innovation and improvement.
Our approach is working. For example, our retention rates from freshman year to sophomore year for resident students have increased from 86.5 percent for the fall 2012 cohort to 90.2 percent for the fall 2017 cohort. Staying in school and finishing a degree is the key element in making a successful investment in one’s education. Attaining that degree with less debt is even better.
Accessibility and affordability are key priorities for me and the Boulder campus. We remain committed to increasing the transparency to the full cost of an education, and improving the ability for families to plan for college and reducing costs through innovative programs.
This innovation and commitment to access are coming from inspired thinkers across CU Boulder, and I invite you to keep the ideas coming. In this season of thanks, it is more than appropriate that I thank you for the work you’re doing to make our community great.
With regard,
Kelly Fox
Senior Vice Chancellor and CFO
2013
The CU Boulder Esteemed Scholars Program, which was introduced to attract our state’s highest-achieving high school students and now comprises 21 percent of our resident undergraduates, is awarded to a select group of Colorado resident students entering CU Boulder as first-time freshmen. Scholarship awards are based on exceptional merit demonstrated by weighted GPA and ACT or SAT test scores.
2015
CU Boulder greatly expanded its CU Promise program for low-income students, resulting in funding assistance becoming available for more than 700 additional students. Through the CU Promise program, The University of Colorado Boulder promises to offer enough grants to pay for the student share of tuition and fees, as well as an estimated work-study award to help pay for some of the other educational expenses.
2016
Under the 4 Year Undergraduate Resident Guaranteed Tuition & Fee, all new undergraduate students receive a 4-year tuition guarantee from their initial enrollment, enabling students and their families to accurately predict the total tuition cost of going to CU Boulder.
The Arts & Humanities (A&H) Merit Scholarship is awarded to incoming resident and nonresident freshmen who applied and were admitted with a declared A&H major (from the list of eligible majors under qualifications).
2017
The CU Boulder Impact Scholarship is awarded to a select group of Colorado resident students entering CU Boulder as first-time freshmen. This automatic-consideration merit scholarship is based on a holistic review of each admitted Colorado student’s academic performance in high school, as well as additional information provided in the student’s admission application.
Through the Transfer Scholarship Program transfer students with completed admissions applications are automatically considered for three different scholarships. While the majority of awards are assigned to transfer students entering for the fall term, a select amount of funds are reserved for transfer students entering in the spring semester.
2018
Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano announced the Be Boulder Pact, eliminating $8.4 million per year in course-related fees, increasing the campus commitment to scholarships and supporting the student government’s efforts to reduce textbook costs. The more than 60 course and program fees ranged from $1 language fees to more than $1,000 for a graduate clinical program, and will no longer be charged to students beginning fall 2018.
