The prestigious, competitive art/architecture/engineering school in Manhattan’s East Village charged no fees to students from its opening in 1859 until 2012, when an overambitious building program and bad management decisions led to financial disaster and free tuition was abolished, much to the fury of students, alumni, and others. There were worries that the pandemic would hamper the fundraising necessary to return to free tuition, but, says president Laura Sparks, “we landed right on budget.” – Artnet
