IUP Council of Trustees Endorse Tiered Increase in Housing Scholarships

At its meeting today, Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Council of Trustees endorsed a tiered residential housing scholarship for students choosing to live in on-campus housing, increasing the housing scholarship for some students by $1,000.

Trustees also approved a change in pricing for one style of housing.

The proposal was recommended to IUP President Dr. Michael Driscoll by the IUP Tuition Model and Pricing Workgroup, which is co-chaired by Vice President for Administration and Finance Dr. Debra Fitzsimons and Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Tom Segar. Its membership includes administrators, faculty, and students.

Under the tiered scholarship plan, the university will continue its $1,000 housing scholarship ($500 each semester) to students living in one of IUP's eight suite-style residence halls for the first year, but starting in fall 2025, students choosing to live in university housing for a second year will receive a housing scholarship of $1,500 ($750 per semester) and students choosing to live in university housing for a third or fourth year will receive a $2,000 housing scholarship ($1,000 per semester).

"The tiered housing scholarships are part of IUP's commitment to addressing the financial needs of students and families," President Driscoll said.

While housing styles and fees vary, the housing scholarships plan endorsed today is projected to lower yearly costs to an average of $7,950 for first-year residents; to an average of $7,450 for second-year residents; and to an average of $6,950 for third- and fourth-year residents.

IUP's housing includes a number of suite arrangements for one, two, or four students in its eight buildings. The current buildings were developed as part of IUP's $245 million, four-phase Residential Revival and include Susan Snell Delaney Hall and Donna D. Putt Hall, opened in fall 2007; the Suites on Maple East, Major General Rodney D. Ruddock Hall and Northern Suites, opened in fall 2008; Gealy W. Wallwork Hall and the Suites on Pratt, opened in fall 2009; and Andrew W. Stephenson Hall, opened in fall 2010. The Foundation for IUP owns the buildings, which are managed by the university.

The Council of Trustees approved the Workgroup's recommendation of a change in pricing for the one-person (single), private, suite-style room for fall 2025 to $5,600 per semester. This is a 4.4 percent increase, or $335.

This change is for Delaney, Putt, Wallwork, Suites on Pratt and Stephenson Hall. Changes in the housing cost for the one-person private, suite-style room for the Northern Suites, Ruddock Hall, and Suites on Maple East must be approved by the Foundation for IUP Board of Directors.

All other housing rates will remain static; housing costs have remained steady since 2016.

In making its recommendations, the Workgroup found that the one-person, private, suite-style housing option is currently underpriced (or consistent) with IUP peer universities and noted in its analysis that the housing scholarships will help to offset this increase.

IUP has also frozen tuition and fees and dining rates since 2018.

Addressing the financial needs of students remains a priority for the university and is included in the IUP Strategic Plan.

During the 2023-2024 academic year, IUP students were awarded more than $26 million in scholarships from the university in addition to state and federal aid. A total of 89 percent of fall 2024 new, first-time students were offered renewable merit scholarships averaging $3,494.

"The Tuition Model and Pricing Workgroup has done excellent work to develop recommendations that create a more financially stable university while maintaining a focus on making IUP as affordable as possible for our students," he said.

IUP's Strategic Plan has a focus on increasing student retention (continued enrollment from first to second year) and persistence (enrollment to graduation). In fall 2024, retention of new, first-time, full-time, bachelor's degree-seeking students from fall 2023 to fall 2024 increased by more than four percentage points, and a 90.1 percent retention rate of new, first-time, full-time bachelor's degree-seeking students for the fall 2023 to spring 2024 semester, the highest fall-to-spring retention rate for a group of new, first-time students since 2010.

"National data, and our own studies, show us that students living on campus have stronger academic performance, more involvement in campus organizations and activities, and increased retention and persistence to graduation rates," President Driscoll said. "This increase in housing scholarships will help us to make on-campus living as affordable as possible for our students to help to influence their success here," he said.

"The housing scholarships not only provide financial support to our students, but increased access for students who want the convenience and opportunities that on-campus housing offers, including the layers of support that students in university housing can access on a 24-7 basis," Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Thomas Segar said.

IUP began its first-year housing scholarship in fall 2021, providing more than $8 million in housing scholarships over the past four academic years.

A total of 2,724 students are in university housing for fall 2024, up from fall 2023 occupancy of 2,694. A total of 42 percent of students who lived on campus during the 2023-2024 academic year are continuing to live in university housing, a 10 percent increase from the number of continuing students who lived on campus for 2022-2023 and continued to live on campus for 2023-2024.

"This increase tells us that students do want to be in university housing, and that the housing scholarships do make a difference," Dr. Segar said. "Continuing and augmenting our housing scholarships are part of our ongoing commitment to student-centeredness, providing what our students want and need," he said. "Having second-, third-, and fourth-year students in our residence halls also creates a richer and more diverse community for all of our students," he said.

Students do not need to live in on-campus housing for consecutive years to qualify for the second-, third-, and fourth-year housing scholarships do not need to be consecutive years.

"If a student decides to return to university housing after a year or two of living off-campus, the housing scholarship for that second, third, or fourth year still applies," said Associate Vice President for Student Life Valerie Baroni.

"In addition to the convenience and proximity to classrooms and services, students in our residence halls feel a true sense of community and friendship," Baroni said. "Living with people who have different backgrounds and experiences is a great learning opportunity and students tell us that it enriches their academic and personal experiences in very positive ways. Our graduates also tell us that they made friends for life in their residence halls."

To be eligible for a housing scholarship, continuing students need to sign up for housing by January 30; new (first year) students need to sign up for housing by May 1, 2025.

IUP has also reduced the overall cost of enrollment for dual enrollment students; under this new pricing structure, the per-credit cost (tuition and fees) for dual enrolled students is $100 per credit.

Several of the buildings include campus services in the first-floor amenities area, including a nursing simulation lab, Information Technology (IT) Support Center, the Office of International Education and the Office of Social Equity in Delaney and Putt halls; the Center for Health and Well Being in the Suites on Maple East; and the Office of Community Standards and the Office of Housing and Dining in Ruddock Hall.

Putt Hall, Suites on Maple East and Suites on Pratt and Delaney halls will offer a pet-friendly community. The Suites on Maple East will have upper division housing, including graduate student housing.

All of the buildings offer computer labs and gathering spaces that can be reserved by students for meetings or events.

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