Free Education Committee

The Free Education Committee (FEC) of The Cooper Union Board of Trustees was created in 2015. The Committee's focus and responsibility is to, "examine whether Cooper Union can return to a sustainable, full tuition scholarship model that maintains Cooper Union's strong reputation for academic quality within its art, architecture and engineering programs at their historical levels of enrollment." Accordingly, The FEC was to develop and propose a strategic plan to this end. The plan was approved by the Board on March 14, 2018.

The Plan

The Plan at Five Years: Returning to Full-Tuition Scholarships -- June 20, 2024
Board-approved Plan to Return to Full-tuition Scholarships -- March 14, 2018
Version for mobile & print
Questions? Write to us.

FEC Recommended Plan to Return to Full-Tuition Scholarships -- January 15, 2018
(see also this printable version)

FEC Plan Q&A -- March 7, 2018

Reports & Updates

Annual Report of the Financial Monitor 2024
Annual Report of the Financial Monitor 2023
Annual Report of the Financial Monitor 2022
Annual Report of the Financial Monitor 2021
Annual Report of the Financial Monitor 2020
Annual Report of the Financial Monitor 2019
Annual Report of the Financial Monitor 2018
Annual Report of the Financial Monitor 2017

Free Education Committee Progress Report January 15, 2017
Free Education Committee Issues Status Update July 1, 2016
A Message on Behalf of the Free Education Committee Jan. 15, 2016

Town Hall Meetings

March 7, 2018
February 13, 2018
February 7, 2018
January 29, 2018

The Free Education Committee Progress Reports are presented in accordance with the Consent Decree, Section VII(A) 2.

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.