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Summer 2009 | Volume 67, No. 4
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Southwestern Seminary Announces No Tuition Increase for 2009-10
by Keith Collier
Administration at Southwestern demonstrated a concern for students during the current economic situation, April 8.
Southwestern’s board of trustees approved the administration’s proposed 2009-10 annual budget, which included no tuition increases for the upcoming academic year. The move confirms the administration’s and trustees’ commitment to protect students from the burden of increased tuition in a financially uncertain time.
“Given the sacrifices many students are having to make during this time of economic uncertainty, the board of trustees and the seminary administration felt they needed to do all they could to enable present and future students of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to continue their studies,” said Paige Patterson, president of the seminary.
“Ultimately, our desire to see students complete their education and get on the field as soon as possible motivated the seminary to pursue other financial solutions.”
At the end of 2008, trustees recommended reductions in the current budget to protect the institution from future financial crisis. Significant efforts were made by the administration, including temporary suspension of many overseas travel programs and adjustments to campus facilities, with the goal of avoiding tuition increases.
Tuition for Southern Baptist students in the College at Southwestern will remain at $208 per semester hour. Tuition for Southern Baptist students in the master’s programs (excluding the Th.M. program) will remain at $173 per semester hour. Doctoral programs will also remain at the current tuition rates.
As announced last year, tuition for the Th.M. program will assume a semester charge, regardless of enrolled hours, rather than an hourly course fee, starting fall 2009. By higher accreditation standards, Th.M. programs are typically considered one-year programs, even though students are allowed up to three years to complete the degree.
Colleges, universities, and seminaries across the country have recently announced tuition increases. In an April 5 article, the Los Angeles Times reported “modest tuition boosts” of an average of 4 percent for private colleges and universities nationwide for the 2009-10 school year.
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