The Office of Undergraduate Scholars and Fellows will receive additional funding next year to cover scholars' room, board and mandatory fees, University administrators announced Tuesday.
The increased funding will be given to all current and future students in the Angier B. Duke, Benjamin N. Duke, Reginaldo Howard and University Scholarship programs beginning next academic year. Currently only the Trinity Scholarship program covers nontuition costs.
"I'm thrilled," OUSF Director Melissa Malouf said. "It would make us much more competitive with the Ivies and Stanford [University]."
James Roberts, executive vice provost for finance and administration, wrote in an e-mail that funding for the additional costs will come from an endowment-spending increase for financial aid the Board of Trustees approved this weekend.
He noted that support for scholarships will increase from $36,065 to $47,985 per student per year. The $11,920 increase will cover room, board and mandatory fees-which includes the student health fee, recreation fee and Duke Student Government and Duke University Union fees.
Scholars said they were delighted to hear the announcement and said the change will help attract talented students.
"It's very generous of the University to approve this grant," sophomore B.N. Duke scholar Cynthia Chen said. "In the past, we've always had one or two students who have committed to another university. I think this will act as an additional draw. It will be a great asset."
Junior University scholar Wei Gan noted that the change is necessary. "It's about time," she said. "The meal plan and rooming costs are so overpriced. My parents still have to pay $10,000 a year on top of the scholarship."
Malouf said she submitted a proposal to the Office of the Provost in January and requested funding to cover room, board and mandatory fees in place of alternatives such as increasing the number of scholars or programs. She added that the new funding is another way to attract students who may not apply to Duke because they do not think they can afford it.
"Economic diversity is an important piece of the diversity pie, and it can only make the scholarship program and the Duke undergraduate community more exciting and interesting," she said.
Freshman A.B. Duke scholar Nick Altemose said he thinks the change will help Duke "out-compete" recent financial aid initiatives at other institutions.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.