Dear students,
On May 8, 2020 I sent a response to a student petition requesting a tuition discount. At the time I shared that the College was reviewing what might be possible. I am writing now with an update.
Earlier this week, President McCartney sent a message recognizing the financial burdens that COVID-19 has imposed on students. As a result of those burdens she has authorized the SSW to take several key actions in addition to the benefits students have already received from the CARES Act.
1. Roll back the 4.5 percent tuition increase applied at the start of the 2020-2021 year.
2. Increase the allowance for personal expenses (COA) for the 2020-21 standard 11 month academic year by $2,000 (pro-rated for final summer MSW and PhD students).
3. Expand our COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to support students with additional expenses during the internship period (watch the BUZZ for details).
4. Increase our allocation of financial aid for the 2021-22 year.
In the next day or two you will receive more information from Smith College Student Financial Services about how these authorizations will impact your future tuition bills and the timelines for receiving credits.
I know you have all been anxiously awaiting a response on this issue and I so appreciate your patience in this complicated process. I hope that these steps will help to address the financial impacts so many of you have experienced as a result of the pandemic. Your commitment to your education, even under these extraordinary circumstances, highlights your commitment to clinical social work and the world. I am so grateful for each of you and for the important work you are doing.
Best wishes for a productive second term.
Marianne R.M. Yoshioka, M.S.W., MBA, Ph.D.
Dean | Elizabeth Marting Treuhaft Professor
Co-Editor, Smith College Studies in Social Work
Smith College School for Social Work
