The long line of groups that get special treatment at course registration time will be reduced by one group starting next fall.
For the incoming class of 2008, there is a package of changes in the approximately 160 academic scholarships to be awarded.
The Presidential Scholars will no longer receive the preferential registration privilege, and the monetary amounts of each scholarship have been raised.
According to the university website, other changes include:
l Deans’ Scholarships have been increased from $7,000 to $10,000 (they did not have preferred registration)
l Presidential Scholarships have been increased from $10,000 to $12,000 (along with the registration being removed from the scholarship)
l University Fellows Scholarships have been increased from $12,500 to $15,000 (plus continued preferential registration, a personal computer and a research stipend).
The decision to change the scholarships was made by a group of people including the Director of Financial Aid, Director of Admissions, Vice President of Enrollment Management and the enrollment management committee, according to Alex Scott, director of undergraduate admissions.
According to Scott, the decision to increase the monetary amounts of the scholarships was to be more competitive with other schools.
However, some students believe that the Presidential Scholarship was more competitive in its previous format.
“I was offered scholarships to a few universities and one of the reasons that I chose Fairfield over other schools was because they offered me preferential registration,” said Ben Manchak ’05.
In fact, the perk of preferential registration for its scholars had made Fairfield unique from other universities. Sacred Heart University and Marist College also offer academic scholarships to their students ranging anywhere from $3,000 to $12,000, but without the other benefits Fairfield has offered.
Although Scott added that the addition of money to the scholarships was not to compensate for taking away the registration from the Presidential Scholars, scholars believe that the university may have taken away an essential privilege given to those who earned the scholarships through their work in high school.
“With the preferential registration in my scholarship I never had a problem getting into the classes I needed to graduate,” said Dan Giroux ’04. “It’s the best part of the scholarship.”
Despite the changes, groups that will continue to receive preferential registration include University Fellows Scholars, varsity athletes, nursing majors, RA’s and the debate team.
Leave a Reply