By: Lauren Beeman –

With all the speculation, uncertainty and overall confusion surrounding the MAP Grant situation, Quincy University Administration is placing the students’ concerns at the heart of the matter.

The Administration understands the unsettling feelings expressed by students, especially financially. President Robert Gervasi wants students to know that Quincy University is fully committed to creating a sense of stability on campus, starting with tuition.

“Contrary to rumors, QU’s tuition for the 2016-2017 academic year, will not be going up at all. It will remain stable,” Gervasi said.

Over the past five years, tuition has increased by an average of 2 percent, which is substantially lower than other private and state institutions. However, Quincy University Administration’s plans to create a stable campus environment are not only connected with MAP.

Another area of change deals with the average graduation rate, something Vice President of Enrollment Management and Academic Support Soumitra Ghosh and the rest of the administration are working to improve over the next few years.

To combat the current percentage of students who do not graduate in four years, QU is lowering the cost of summer courses for the 2016 semester. For general education courses, or the 100 and 200 level classes, the tuition cost will be $230 per credit hour.

The primary goal for lowering summer tuition fees is to encourage students to take general education classes during this semester. The overall intention is to move them a step closer to graduating in the traditional four years as well as alleviate a number of financial concerns associated with taking additional classes.

“On average, students here take about 14 credit hours per semester, and that is not enough to finish in four years. We want to encourage students to take general education classes during the summer, so that they can focus on their major classes,” Ghosh said.

Students expressed excitement over the lowering of summer fees. Student Government Secretary, Alex Tedrow, was one of the first students to learn about this information after a meeting with President Gervasi.

“The quality of education is better at QU than it is at a community college, and at a less than $700 price for three credit hours, I think a lot of students will utilize this opportunity and choose to take classes at QU for the summer,” Tedrow said.

In keeping with the lowering of fees, Quincy University has additionally decided to remove the $175 fee for online classes. In the past, students that elected to take an online course where charged an additional payment in conjunction with the usual credit hour cost. That is no longer the case.

“We decided it’s counterintuitive. We figured this was the just thing to do,” Ghosh said.

In spite of all the financial concerns, President Gervasi emphasizes the heart of the university lies with the academic success of its students. Committed to creating the most viable environment for academic success, Gervasi recently approved a student-organized petition concerning the hours of the Student Success Center.

Starting April 1, 2016 the SSC will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At the end of the semester, the new hours will be reevaluated, and the SSC hours for next year will be determined based on the evaluation.

“We are trying to do what we can, with the available resources, to maximize the positive experience the students have,” Gervasi said.