Photo of Williston Library by Trinity Kendrick ‘21
By Casey Roepke ‘21
News Editor
Mount Holyoke students will return to a full residential experience in the fall 2021 semester per an email sent to the College community by College President Sonya Stephens.
The “full residential experience” includes in-person instruction and returning to a semester format, leaving behind the module-style learning system that was implemented for the 2020-2021 academic year.
“Improved public access to vaccines, declining infection rates in many states, and our own success to date in resuming residential operations all give us great confidence in moving forward with these plans,” Stephens wrote.
The email was clear that the residential campus reopening would obey all state and federal safety guidelines surrounding the pandemic. “Our decision to welcome all of our students back to campus, to return to the classroom and other learning and co-curricular experiences, fully respects federal and Massachusetts public health and safety guidelines,” Stephens wrote.
Further information about the academic calendar, course registration, advising and other residential logistics is forthcoming.
Stephens also announced a tuition increase for the next academic year in the same email. The Board of Trustees approved tuition at $56,300, the room rate at $8,320 and the board cost at $8,260.
“We recognize that you are making a significant commitment to a Mount Holyoke education, and this fee reflects our ongoing commitment to the outstanding academics and residential life that are the hallmarks of this educational experience,” Stephens wrote. “It allows us to invest further in that core mission, in our faculty and our students, in scholarships and other support, and in continuing health and safety measures that protect everyone on campus.”
The total fee is $73,098, a $2,678 increase from last year’s rate. This is the second consecutive year tuition has increased by nearly $3,000.