2 in 1 enrollment program targets freshmen. What about upperclassmen?

By: Dina Usanovic

There is no question that Cleveland State University is trying its hardest to provide accessibility to a proper college education for first-year students. They have even promised a free Spring semester to freshmen who maintain at least a 2.75 GPA throughout the Fall semester. The 2-in-1 Enrollment program seems like a fantastic opportunity for freshmen, but it begs the question: What about upperclassmen?

Cleveland State has not released any similar opportunities for upperclassmen, who have been affected just as much as freshmen by the Coronavirus. While students understand that free college education for each individual is not plausible for an institution that relies on tuition money for a large portion of its budget, it does not seem ethically correct to offer it to only a quarter of the population. From a historical standpoint, offering a good opportunity to only a portion of the population while excluding the rest of the community from getting the same chance will only lead to public unrest- in some cases, even a revolt.

While the student body is appreciative for all that the university has done to keep the student body safe and to give us as many opportunities as possible, it’s obvious their attempts have been oriented more towards first-year students. Instead of offering such a colossal tuition cut to a quarter of students, perhaps the university could offer a smaller discount to all students, without losing any extra money.

Another major question concerning the 2-in-1 Enrollment program comes from the usual yearly budget of the school. Suppose it is possible to eliminate the entire freshman class’s tuition from the budget during a pandemic. Why is tuition the same price for every student every other year when the school gains money from other sources throughout a typical year, such as sports? It seems sketchy that the university has been able to disregard this income source when most people think it needs the money the most.

Cleveland State University has created many programs and resources to ensure that all of its students can return to school and that its faculty can return to work. It’s incredible what the school has accomplished during this challenging time in the world. However, it is essential to ensure that each opportunity is truly implementable and reaches everyone that has been affected by this pandemic.