A Student’s Market For Colleges Universities Offer Incentives To Meet Enrollment Goals

College shopping may never be the same now that schools are offering sales and rebates.

Scrambling to recruit new students for the fall, Eastern Washington’s two state universities have each come up with new housing programs to entice incoming freshmen.

“We are in a competitive position right now,” said Rick Romero, Eastern Washington University’s director of business and contract services. “It’s not as aggressive as Pepsi and Coke, but we’re hoping to help recruit new students.”

That’s why EWU is offering a rebate to students who sign up early for on-campus housing.

In the meantime, Washington State University plans to freeze housing rates for students who continue to live in residence halls until they graduate.

Both universities missed their enrollment goals this year. EWU has 850 fewer students than anticipated, and WSU in Pullman is down by 550.

In recent mailings, both universities claimed their housing and dining costs are the lowest among the state’s public colleges and universities.

This year, more than 900 students live on campus at EWU.

The standard double-occupancy rate for 1997-98 will be $4,294, which includes meals. But if students act now - actually, by May 1 - they’ll get $600 off the regular rate for the next school year. If they sign up by March 1, they’ll receive an extra $100 bonus that they can use at the campus bookstore.

At WSU, the basic double-occupancy room rate for 1997-98 will be $2,126 per year. Students must sign up for a meal plan on top of that, which will cost another $2,000 to $2,500. That rate will stay the same for as long as the students live in residence halls. WSU students who live on campus also will continue to have access to the university’s computer network, receive free local telephone service and free cable television.

Students frequently complain about the high cost of living on campus, said Jerry Marczynski, WSU’s director of housing services. “This will help students plan their finances,” he said.

At WSU, 3,200 students live in residence halls and another 1,800 in university-owned apartments.

WSU’s housing program is similar to an advance-tuition proposal presented last week to Washington lawmakers.

The proposal, which would allow families to pre-pay college tuition at today’s prices, has been endorsed by Gov. Gary Locke.

Besides special housing and dining rates, both WSU and EWU also have increased their recruiting efforts by offering other packages to attract new students to the dorms.

Next fall, WSU will convert a residence hall into a home for honor students, scholarship recipients and “students looking for a more intellectually oriented living environment,” said Tony Nowak, WSU’s director of residence life.

Scholarship pools are getting larger for incoming freshmen and transfer students. This year, WSU gave out just under $600,000 in recruiting scholarships. Next year, that may increase to as much as $1 million thanks to additional funds from the state’s license-plate scholarship fund.

“We’re trying to reach out to students,” said Terry Flynn, director of admissions at WSU. “What we’ve heard is that students are frightened by distance and costs. We’re trying to counter that … by communicating with them.

“We’re not just looking at the wrapping paper, we’re looking at the package.”

EWU, in the meantime, has expanded its “Finish in Four” program, which guarantees incoming freshmen a bachelor’s degree in four years.

When it was first offered in the fall of 1996, the four-year guarantee was available for only 15 majors. Now, the program is applicable to more than 50 majors.

“Finish in Four takes away some of the financial pressures,” said Stefanie Pettit, EWU’s public information officer.

WSU started a similar program this year.

, DataTimes