i think its a good way to weed out those who're serious about studies and those who're just attending college and killing time because its free.  However, I totally support students having easy and guaranteed access to education loans to pay for college and lower tuition costs.

So graduate student tuition wasn't enough...

accesskb, I'm surprised. You've usually got pretty on-the-mark comments but you're way off here. CU might very well be the most competitive undergraduate architecture program in North America - poke around the internet to get the full rundown of what prospective students have to send in for their applications. Considering this, do you really think there are students who roll through all of that just to go to the school because they have nothing better to do? Sorry but I just don't see that as a student profile there; I would fully expect that all of the students entering the school are Type A, hard-driven, goal-oriented individuals.

haha BenC you're right.. I had European education system in mind when I typed that.  From what I've heard, there is a high rate of drop outs in a free education system and some students take a decade to finish an undergrad. I guess its different in America due to strict and very competitive admission process

The NYT reports the cost of Cooper's Mayne debacle at 41 Cooper Square as $177m.

The Board of Trustees should be held personally liable for squandering the endowment and violating the very principles under which Cooper was founded.

All education should be free.

I would be joining Cooper next Fall and I am truly heartbroken by the news. Let alone the historical and social significance free education posses, one main reason for Cooper being in league with the top architecture schools is the full scholarship they offer. It is unpreventable that next year's application pool would be reduced and student quality may fall as a result. I fear that this may cause Cooper to fall eventually.

Just for your information, the full tuition scholarship I am being offered is around 200 thousand for 5 years, so I guess that means next year's applicants would be paying 20 thousand per year, at most.

It was never free.

There were costs.  And they were paid by others, just not the students.

^ CU had free tuition, with the cost of supplies and living in (or near) NYC borne by the student.

Education, like health care, should be free. Individuals should not have to pay individually; society as a whole should pay to provide these for everyone. Nobody should be denied either simply because they can't afford it.

Again, not free.  Costs shared, spread around, fine.  But things cost money.

is that one of those clever 'freedom aint free' lines?

its really cool.

No, just trying to be accurate.  I'm not saying it's not unfortunate about the tuition situation @ CU ... it is.  I'm just saying it's important to remember, from an economic standpoint, that things cost money, and those costs are borne by someone.  Saying "free to students" is accurate; saying "free" isn't.

oh.

drat.

Cuz I wuz hoping it was some kinda 'freedom fries' type thing.

coulda been funny.

Still, its a ridiculous shame that Cooper students will no longer have a FREE education.

Peter Cooper would bitch slap the trustees. with railroad track.

This is big, but big endowment or not, money doesn't regenerate overnight. Investments do, but then how do the results of those investments keep ahead of increased costs?

Possibly one way to continue education in the spirit of Peter Cooper would be to offer a quota of partial tuition waivers for students who are selected. Partial or full, that's something better than nothing. It's impressive that the school could support (tuition) 918 full time students.

Even at the highest level of accountability, wasn't there talk that the hole Cooper faces, started decades ago? How would you go about collecting heads?

well, it wasn't me looking to take heads, but this is how classy folk do it.

Bharucha doesn't understand shit about the Cooper Union. Hey Bharucha - see above.

http://us7.campaign-archive2.com/?u=964ad2f631fe6f5f4389676d5&id=45d386d663

Things are getting more and more interesting. Those students should never have left their occupation of the administration.

I find it ironic that part of the $177m went into the pockets of architects for the new building... Im sure Thom Mayne doesnt have a problem with sending his kids to college.