Columbia College, the liberal arts educational institution for women in South Carolina, has announced that it is cutting its tuition from $28,900 to $19,500 in an attempt to attract more students. The college also plans to cut five “under-enrolled” academic programs and reduce staff in order to cut costs.
Full-time enrollments at the college have dropped from 800 to 650 in recent years, although there has been an increase in enrollments in the coeducational online programs of the college.
Columbia College President Beth Dinndorf told the Columbia Free Times that “enrollment is a key driver for any college. Our customers are our students, and we’re driven by their enrollment here and their tuition that they paid, making it a valued proposition for them and a good return on their investment. We’re always looking at those majors that they’re interested in that lead to good careers for them. They tell us that by where they choose to enroll.”