Eastern expects return to normal for Fall 2021 semester

WILBURTON, OK – Eastern Oklahoma State College has announced there will be no tuition and fee increase for the 2021-22 academic year. The EOSC Board of Regents approved the request at their regularly scheduled meeting in June.

“Last year was extremely challenging for everyone and I’m proud that the EOSC Board of Regents approved our recommendation to hold tuition flat this year,” said Eastern President Dr. Janet Wansick. “We recognize the hardships many of our students and their families have faced during the pandemic. We remain committed to offering a high-quality education for an affordable cost in southeast Oklahoma.”

Wansick also announced that the college has revised its academic placement policies that historically used standardized tests like the ACT and SAT to determine a student’s readiness for college-level coursework. Eastern will now use multiple measures such as high school GPA and prior coursework to place students in college-level courses instead of developmental courses. Traditionally, if students did not score high enough on an ACT or placement test, they have been assigned to developmental courses to catch up and the credits do not count toward a degree.

“There is growing research and data showing that high-stakes, standardized exams are poor predictors of a student’s overall success in college,” Wansick said. “A multiple measures approach allows us to examine additional evidence of student learning and determine a student’s placement in math, science and English courses. Our goal is to remove barriers for students who do not need developmental courses, increase their success rates and get them on a path to graduation faster.”

Wansick said Eastern now offers co-requisite courses in math and English that provide students with additional support to help them succeed without the need for developmental courses. She added that the new placement policies can also help save students tuition and fee costs because they will take fewer remedial courses.   

Eastern is also preparing for a full return to normal operations on campus this fall.

“While we will continue to monitor guidance from the CDC and state health officials for the safety of our students and employees, we feel it is the right time to return to a vibrant campus life with in-person classes and scheduled activities,” Wansick said. “We are excited to offer our students the traditional campus environment that they expect for their college experience.”

Students will not be required to be vaccinated to enroll in classes or live on campus. However, Wansick encourages all members of the Eastern community to get a vaccination to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.