UMass Boston cites tuition plan, campus upgrades for gains in recruiting in state

Stephane Aboagye is a Beacon Pledge Scholar. Seth Daniel photo

UMass Boston (UMB) reports that more in-state freshman enrolled this fall than in at least a decade, with a record number of freshman reporting to the Columbia Point campus mostly in response, officials say, to a new state funding plan, upgrades to the campus, and the quality of the institution’s educational offerings .

It’s the first year the public university is offering free tuition for Massachusetts residents from households making $75,000 or less using the state program. The Beacon Pledge, as UMB calls it, is a financial aid program that allows qualifying students starting this year to attend with no tuition payments or mandatory fees.

At the same time, millions of dollars have been invested in facilities and open space