Editor:
Thank you for the opportunity to reply to an editorial that was recently published in an Ohio Valley newspaper.
The editorial was entitled “Make College Affordable” and stated that only 26 percent of Ohio residents hold bachelor’s degrees and that it is becoming increasingly difficult for high school graduates to afford higher education. For example, the editorial stated that the average tuition and fees at the Ohio State University have reached $9,711 a year and $22,365 with living expenses included.
As a parent with children approaching college, I am in complete agreement that these figures are overwhelming. As pointed out in your editorial, the cost of a college education for one child can easily approach or even exceed six figures. What if a family has two, three, or more children? What are we as parents to do?
I want everyone to know about the tremendous community resource and opportunity that is located right here in the Ohio Valley. Fifty years ago Ohio University created regional campuses to promote access to affordable higher education. In recent years this mission has expanded to emphasize and promote access to affordable bachelor’s degrees.
Ohio University Eastern, one of five regional campuses of Ohio University, is conveniently located just off Interstate 70 in St. Clairsville. OUE currently offers 12 affordable bachelor’s degrees entirely on our campus in Belmont County.
In addition, OUE students have the option to seamlessly transfer to Athens at anytime if they choose to study one of the 250 degrees offered at the main campus. As a result, local students may attend OUE and finish OHIO’s core requirements at an affordable cost before moving to Athens.
The total cost for tuition and fees to attend OUE for the upcoming school year is $4,527 for freshmen and $4,887 for upperclassmen. Unlike many other universities, these costs have remained relatively fixed over the recent years. For example, the 2011 graduating class at OUE did not experience a single tuition increase the entire time that they were in college, as the Eastern Campus tuition did not change from 2007-2011. This speaks volumes about the overall value at OUE and is compatible with the regional campus mission of access and affordability.
In addition, a significant proportion of students receive financial aid and/or scholarships at OUE. A full pell grant of $5,500 more than covers the tuition and these students actually receive an overage check for attending OUE. In other words, it is not uncommon for some students to receive nearly $1,000 back over the course of the year to help them pay for their books, gas, and any other school expenses.
It is also important to make clear for the record that Ohio University Eastern Campus is in fact Ohio University, and Ohio University is the Eastern Campus. In other words, the students who decide to save money and stay at home and finish their academic requirements at the Eastern Campus will have earned the exact same academic credentials as the students that graduate from our main campus in Athens. The finish line is the same for these students as their respective diplomas will each state Ohio University at the top in recognition of their fine accomplishment and will each open the same career doors.
To conclude, I agree with the editorial that university graduates usually earn more money and an increase in graduates could have a dramatic impact on the local economy. I am also thankful for this opportunity to let the Ohio Valley know that Ohio University is here in your backyard offering affordable bachelor’s degrees just off Interstate 70 in St. Clairsville.
For the record, I have been employed at Ohio University’s Eastern Campus for the past 15 years and can personally attest to the top quality of our faculty and staff, the overall student experience in and out of the classroom, and the affordable cost. I have complete confidence in OUE and I plan to send my children to college here. This is the greatest compliment that I can give the institution.
Sincerely,
E. J. Schodzinski,
Wheeling, W.Va.
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