George Mason University has just announced that it has frozen its law school tuition for the upcoming year. Named after American revolutionary, patriot, and founding father George Mason, George Mason University School of Law was founded as a branch of the University of Virginia in 1957. It became an independent institution in 1972. While George Mason is recognized as the least expensive competitive law school in the region, this move just goes to show that those charged with running the law school empathize with students who have to deal with an incredible amount of loan debt nowadays. After careful deliberation, the Board of Visitors of George Mason University decided to freeze law school tuition for the upcoming year Wednesday during their quarterly meeting. Law tuition will remain the same through 2016-17 for current and incoming students alike. “One thing we understand is law and economics,” said Dan Polsby, dean of the law school.
This is true. Today, Mason is recognized for its strong programs in economics, law, creative writing, computer science, and business. In recent years, George Mason faculty have twice won the Nobel Prize in Economics. The George Mason University Forensics program is one of the top ranked competitive speech teams in the United States and has achieved international recognition in the field of communication studies.
The Board’s move recognizes that demand for legal education is changing, and that they must change with it. Law school tuition went up more than fifty percent in the past seven years. This isn’t a business plan that can be sustained. George Mason wants to maintain the amount of talent it attracts each year, but understands that in order to do so it must offer an affordable price. In The Capital reported that this isn’t the first time George Mason has looked to relieve some of the financial burden placed on its community. In fact, just last year the school offered scholarships to 73 percent of its first-year law students.
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