At last Thursday's faculty meeting, two new sources of funding were announced for undergraduate students. One, a grant from the Jewish Foundation for the Education of Women, will award qualifying female students $10,000 a year. The other, a $25,000 research fund for undergraduates.

This editorial board is excited and intrigued by these new developments, especially given recent tuition hikes. It's becoming increasingly difficult to afford Brandeis, and these announcements signify the University's commitment to easing students' financial burden in every way possible.

Beyond the financial relief that these grants provide to some students, the new funds will hopefully increase the prestige of the University. As we have written previously, merit-based aid is an effective tactic for attracting highly-qualified, motivated students to Brandeis. The unfortunate reality is that some of the best students will choose not to go to Brandeis because other universities offer more enticing financial aid packages. While we understand that merit scholarships will not be fully reinstated in the near future because of the University's commitment to meeting all need-based aid, we are hopeful that these new sources of funding will play a role in attracting what Brandeis needs: passionate students who will make significant contributions to the University and society.
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