By Sasha Afsh
UNIVERSITY CITY, SHARJAH – While the pandemic has affected all operations at the American University of Sharjah, the school has retained good enrollment numbers and avoided both tuition increases and budget deficits, its chancellor announced June 20.
In an open letter to faculty detailing his report to the recent Board of Trustees meeting, Kevin Mitchell said that undergraduate admissions for fall 2021 are roughly the same as fall 2020. Good enrollment combined with cost-reduction efforts, he said, “ensured that AUS ended the fiscal year with no deficit.”
However, and though he praised faculty and staff for their performance during the pandemic, he acknowledged that the fiscal situation meant no merit raises are possible.
Mitchell noted that there has been a decrease in revenue from both dormitory fees and space rentals on campus. And while AUS is working with ministry officials on several different scenarios for student access to the campus in the upcoming academic year, Mitchell wrote, the dorms will be offering only private rooms this fall.
