Investments to support an expanded Yale College class size

 

To: Faculty in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science; Students in Yale College; Staff in Yale College, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and all administrative and operational units 

 

Dear Members of the Yale Community, 

 

Throughout its history, Yale College has educated promising individuals for leadership and service, preparing them for lifetimes of engaged citizenship. Today, we are pleased to announce the university’s commitment to making this education available to more students—those who will go on to serve in every corner of the world and every sector of society. Beginning with this fall’s entering Class of 2029, Yale College will increase its class size by 100 students per year, for a total of 1650 students per class. Over time, this growth will bring the total undergraduate population to 6600. This number is slightly lower than current enrollment, which is larger than usual due to COVID-19-related deferrals. 

 

This increase, approved by Yale’s board of trustees, follows conversations with faculty, staff, and students on the challenges and opportunities of a larger Yale College. We are grateful to everyone who participated in these discussions, particularly the two faculty-led committees that assessed needs and made recommendations for implementing a larger class size.  

 

Each year, tens of thousands of qualified applicants apply for admission to Yale College, far more than the university has had the capacity to accept. By making investments to welcome more of these talented students, Yale College will advance its strategic plan, providing the benefits of a Yale education to additional future leaders with a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives. This expansion also provides an opportunity to enhance the undergraduate experience and build on the strengths of the residential college system, where students develop their intellectual, moral, civic, and creative capacities in community with faculty and peers. 

 

Of course, a Yale College education is possible only through the efforts of faculty, staff, and graduate students, as well as the services required to support both them and the residential education of undergraduates. Therefore, plans to expand the student body will include additional resources and staff to facilitate student activities and campus life. This will ensure that all students continue to receive the opportunities that for years have made Yale College unique. Together with commitments to the Yale College community, the university will also make broader investments. We believe this is a moment to bolster both the entire undergraduate experience and the many areas of the university that contribute to the college’s strength.  

 

Yale’s faculty are a tremendous asset to Yale College. In addition to carrying out world-class research and scholarship, they demonstrate an incredible commitment to teaching and learning. They also play a vital role in shaping an innovative curriculum that draws on Yale’s distinctive strengths in the arts, humanities, social sciences, science, and engineering. To support an excellent and robust faculty, the university previously announced investments to expand the faculty’s size. In 2022, Yale allocated 45 additional faculty positions to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). As a result, FAS and SEAS have engaged in significant hiring and continue to work toward a target of more than 750 tenure-track and tenured positions. To further support a larger Yale College class size, the university will increase the faculty target size by five additional positions—four in the FAS and one in SEAS. These positions will be available to the deans of the FAS and SEAS to address pressing needs and student interest.  

 

In addition to investments in faculty positions, the university will commit additional resources to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. These resources will help offset the cost of supporting graduate students, an expense often borne by individual faculty members’ research grants. Sustaining a robust graduate student community is crucial to the university’s education and research missions and to a thriving Yale College. Graduate students serve as teaching assistants, supervise undergraduate research, provide mentorship to Yale College students, and deepen scholarship. Additional information about support for graduate students will be shared shortly. 

 

Finally, while increasing the Yale College class size, the university will maintain its commitment to admitting exceptional students regardless of their financial resources. Yale will continue to meet 100 percent of students’ demonstrated financial need. Our world-leading programs in admissions and undergraduate financial aid will continue to attract and provide access to an outstanding group of students each year.     

 

Again, we thank the many colleagues who have offered guidance and strategic insights, including the Yale College Admissions and Financial Aid Policy Committee, the FAS-SEAS Senate, residential college heads and deans, department chairs, and directors of undergraduate studies, as well as the Yale College faculty, who have discussed this plan at several faculty meetings over the past two years. We are especially grateful to all these groups not only for exploring ways to meet the logistical needs of a larger undergraduate population, but also for asking how Yale College can strengthen the education it provides to its students. We also wish to acknowledge the critical partnership offered by Deans Steven Wilkinson, Lynn Cooley, and Jeff Brock, whose leadership helps make this increased class size possible.  

 

Attending Yale College is a transformative experience that prepares students for leadership and service in every sphere of human activity. Each member of the Yale community plays a role in shaping that experience. As we share our excitement at the news that more students from around the world will benefit from a Yale College education, we also share our gratitude for everyone who advances Yale’s mission. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Scott Strobel 

Provost

Henry Ford II Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry 

 

Pericles Lewis 

Dean of Yale College

Douglas Tracy Smith Professor of Comparative Literature