FORT WORTH, Texas (BP)–Trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary approved the administration’s proposed 2009-10 annual budget, which included no tuition increases for the upcoming academic year, during their April 8 meeting at the Fort Worth, Texas, campus.
“Given the sacrifices many students are having to make during this time of economic uncertainty,” Southwestern President Paige Patterson said, “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.
“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,” Patterson said.
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 master’s programs will remain at $173 per semester hour. Doctoral programs will also remain at the current tuition rates. Tuition for Southern Baptist students in the College at Southwestern will remain at $208 per semester hour.
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” averaging 4 percent for private colleges and universities nationwide for the 2009-10 school year. In the state of Texas, an Associated Press article said the University of Texas System announced increases from 4 to 9 percent in its schools over the next two years, and the Texas A&M System announced increases from 4 to 14 percent in its schools over the same period. Closer to the seminary, TCU announced a 5 percent increase for 2009-10 and Baylor University announced increases of 7 percent for the university and just under 7 percent for its Truett Seminary.
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Keith Collier is director of news and information for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
