The Wake

Increasing application numbers and rising tuition costs have the University of Minnesota Twin Cities re-examining their policies on education and graduation.

Effective September 2007, all incoming freshmen will finish their education in record time, walking in the graduation procession in May of 2009. The university currently has a 13-credit policy each semester to ensure that its students graduate in four years. This is set to change to a two year goal. This means that all students will have to take 30 credits a semester to graduate with 120 credits.

Through extensive research, the university has found that 84 percent of its students do not graduate in the four years allotted.

“We are very concerned that our students aren’t taking their education seriously,” Bill McPhee, a member of the University administration, says. “Quite honestly, we think our students are becoming more dumb than smart.”

“This new implemented policy really challenges our students in gaining an education effectively,” Alma Swanson, an assistant to President Bruininks, says. “Our students won’t have time to experience college life because they will be too focused on their education.”

The sudden change is frightening for current students. “I am happily on the five-year plan, that would suck to have to hurry through the college experience,” sophomore Zack Brunt says. Rest assured, current students will not have to graduate with the new two year policy. However, the temptation of early graduation is possible.

The University is offering current students the option to intensify their next semester by adding more credits and students choosing to do this will receive their semester free of charge.

“Offering free education to students is attractive,” McPhee says. “This will allow us to secretly monitor those students and behaviors with an intensive study curriculum.”

The University has an example curriculum for incoming freshmen in 2007. This program requires incoming students to know their major when coming to the U. For students who are not sure, the University is taking it upon themselves to put them into a program, without transfer possibilities.

“Having created pre-approved programs will ensure students that they will succeed and graduate in a much more timely manner,” Swanson says. “Students must already have a major picked out or they will not be allowed to start their education.”

The University plans to cut a few major programs so that incoming freshmen will have limited possibilities to choose from. Cutting major programs also allows the University to cut back the number of students coming in and overcrowding the campus.

The new two year program will cost $20,000 a year for in-state tuition, as a way to make the same amount of money per student. On top of the tuition, students can also look forward to an additional $2,000 in student service fees.

“The University is at an all time low in terms of money,” McPhee says. “We want graduation to come quick and easy and increasing tuition will also allow us to pay off our debt more efficiently.”

The university isn’t the only school in the nation that has changed its policies. Several states have also changed their four year graduation policy to two years. The University of South Dakota has had this policy for two years and finds that most students enjoy the express education.

“When I applied to USD I was excited but nervous after their policies changed,” Louis Vatton, a freshman, says. “I was thinking about switching schools but I’m glad I didn’t because now I’m able to get in and get out in the time it takes go to tech school.”

Other Universities that have begun this program didn’t change their tuition costs. The University of Minnesota is the only one to test such a risky financial shift.

“Believe me, our grants, scholarships and other financial help will not increase,” Swanson says. “Why would we make life for students any easier?”