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Articles by Ruby Barenberg
Wellesley goes tuition free for families making under $200,000
Wellesley College announced Sept. 9 that domestic students whose families make under $200,000 a year with typical assets will receive free tuition, beginning in the 2027-28 academic year. The new policy, called “The Wellesley Tuition Promise,” applies to students who are United States citizens or permanent residents, have family who live and work in the country, live on campus and are on the meal plan.
‘The only woman in Hall’: Gender and college governance
When Baroness Alexandra Freeman became Principal of Hertford College last month, she did not initially realise she was the first woman to hold the role. It was a detail that, she says, came as a surprise, given that Hertford had begun admitting women in 1974, amongst the earliest of the formerly all-male colleges to do so. The significance of this fact has emerged gradually since.
Ellison Institute of Technology unveils designs for Oxford Science Park
New designs for buildings in Oxford Science Park were revealed last month, drafted by Foster + Partners and funded by the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT). The designs are part of The Daubeny Project, which involves the construction of three new buildings with "enhanced lab infrastructure designed to support cutting-edge research", including over 70% of space on each floor available for laboratories.
County Council raises council tax to 4.99%, citing decreased government funding
The Oxfordshire County Council's new budget includes increasing council tax by 4.99%, addressing a £5.4 million shortfall for 2026/27. By 2028/29, funding to Oxford will decrease by £24.1 million as the government plans to redistribute funding to more deprived areas of the country. The 2026/7 budget was approved on 10 February and allocates a total of £700 million.
Wellesley announces temporary hiring pause
On Friday, April 11, Wellesley College announced an immediate hiring pause for the next six months. The email, sent to Wellesley College faculty and staff by Provost Courtney Coile, Piper Orton, Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer, and Carolyn Slaboden, Chief Human Resources Officer, stated that the “pause will apply to tenure track, non-tenure track, administrative (both exempt and non-exempt), and union staff positions,” but not for students who are hired by the College.
Bargaining canceled as strike approaches 3-week mark
No new bargaining sessions have been set since the College canceled the bargaining that was scheduled last Thursday, April 10. Since the WOAW union went on strike March 27, the College and WOAW have met for three bargaining sessions. There was some movement towards more tentative agreements between WOAW and the College on the following articles: Prohibition for Discrimination and Harassment, Recognition, Union Rights and Access and Dining.
April 1st Bargaining Session between WOAW and the College
WOAW (Wellesley Organized Academic Workers) and the College met Tuesday afternoon, the first time since the Union began their strike on Thursday, Mar. 27. WOAW and the College reached tentative agreements for Union Rights and Access and Recognition for union members. However, the session did not address major proposals, such as compensation, workload and appointments and reappointment. The Union did not consider there to be enough progress made to end the strike.
What to know about Saturday registration & credits after WOAW strike
In an email sent out on Thursday morning, Provost Courtney Coile reported the College’s latest policy cap WOAW-taught classes to 0.5 units. Coile asked students to enroll in new courses taught by tenure-track faculty as a plan to make up for lost contact hours affected by the ongoing strike. “The plan must be implemented now so that students will have enough contact hours to support the 0.5 credit by the end of the semester,” wrote Coile.
WOAW Union likely to strike on Thursday
Wellesley Organized Academic Workers (WOAW-UAW) Union is likely to begin a strike this Thursday, March 27, after both parties failed to agree on key issues including compensation and workload. This follows the 24th bargaining session between the Union and the College held earlier this afternoon. The session included WOAW’s presentation of a comprehensive package of all current proposals and discussions with the College on these high-priority issues.
Wellesley hikes comprehensive fee to over $92,000 for next academic year
In a Mar. 18 email sent to students and families, Wellesley College announced a 4.8% increase in the Wellesley comprehensive fee for the next academic year. The new comprehensive fee, which includes tuition, housing, meals, and the Student Activity Fee, will be $92,440. When added with the indirect costs of attendance, including books, personal expenses, travel, and the waivable student health insurance policy, the total cost of Wellesley is estimated to be up to $100,541.
Students and Union Members Stand With WOAW at Campus Rally
On Monday, March 11, over 300 Wellesley College students, faculty and staff gathered outside the College’s Central Street entrance to rally for the Wellesley Organized Academic Workers (WOAW) Union. Community members wore red in solidarity with WOAW, circulating signs, chant scripts and a student pledge. Attendees remained on the sidewalk for the duration of the rally to avoid gathering on the private property of the College.
Wellesley’s Korean program grapples with staffing cuts
This January, the East Asian Languages and Cultures department (EALC) found that many of their staffing requests had been rejected across all three of their programs. The Japanese program’s request to expand its faculty with a part-time lecturer was entirely rejected.
WOAW holds strike authorization vote beginning Feb. 14
This story is developing and will be updated. The Wellesley non-tenure track faculty union, known as the Wellesley Organized Academic Workers (WOAW), has started a strike authorization vote. WOAW has been bargaining with Wellesley College since May 2024. Eligible voters in this election include instructors, lecturers and Mellon postdoctoral fellows who are currently employed by Wellesley College.
Students protest Korean program lecturer’s contract nonrenewal
On the first day of spring semester classes, students in the Korean program were surprised to hear their professor, Eun Ha Hwang, announce that her lecturer contract was not renewed by Wellesley College and she would not be returning for the next academic year. “We were all incredibly shocked … because of the fact that she’s been such a pivotal person in the Korean department since we’ve all gotten here,” said Aiquana Maye ’27.
Vanishing Voices: Why Language Programs are Losing Their Edge at Wellesley
Language departments are grappling with dropping student interest on campus. While Wellesley still requires taking a language to graduate, enrollment in language courses has been sharply declining. This comes as part of a broader trend as humanities programs, and language programs specifically, face cuts and under-enrollment across the country. From the 2007-2008 academic year to the 2023-2024 academic year, there has been a roughly 37%decrease in the average language department enrollments.
“A time of terror”: Wellesley students react to a second Trump term
An atmosphere of shock and anxiety settled upon Wellesley students after Donald Trump officially became the new president-elect on Wednesday morning. According to a Wellesley News survey sent out to the student body on Election Day, nearly 90% of the 286 people who responded voted for Kamala Harris.
Wellesley students react to deadlock presidential race, shocked on Trump’s lead
This is a developing story. Check back for updates. As the first polls closed on Tuesday, Wellesley students gathered at watch parties around campus to follow the live polling results for one of the closest presidential elections in US history. Throughout the night, Trump’s lead over Harris is widening, especially on key battlegrounds like Georgia and North Carolina.
WOAW union holds teach-in for college community
On Thursday, Oct. 25, over 60 students and staff members crowded a lecture room in Founders Hall for the Wellesley Organized Academic Workers (WOAW)’s teach-in. A bench was moved from the hallway to create more seating, while others sat on the floor in anticipation of the WOAW’s educational session and bargaining updates. Signs WOAW made about the teach-in are also placed around campus.
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