Dec 08, 2014 01:18 PM EST By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

Wittenberg University in Ohio will freeze its tuition, room, and fees for all students for the next academic year, school officials announced.

The decision - which was approved by the university's Board of Directors during its fall meeting - marks the third year in a row that the school, which currently enrolls 1,811 traditional undergraduate students, has moved in this direction.

"There are two ways to help students afford a college education," Randy Green, Wittenberg University's executive director of financial aid, said in a statement. "One is through grants and scholarships, while the other is achieved by controlling the amount students must pay. The latter approach benefits the entire student population."

Students' tuition, room, and fees will remain at 2012-2013 levels for all students, while the university continues to provide more than $37 million in scholarships and financial aid. Board will increase slightly only to match increased costs nationally. Currently, more than 95 percent of students attending Wittenberg receive financial support, and the amount of grant students receive from Wittenberg varies based on the results of the FAFSA form.

"By having a zero percent increase in tuition, Wittenberg is actually better able to provide the financial support our students and families need, while also continuing to ensure that students graduate in four years compared to the five or six years on average it takes at some public institutions," Green said. "We want to get our students out the door in four, so they can begin to make their unique impact on the world."

Wittenburg  University offers more than 60 majors, minors and special programs and has been ranked in the top 20 nationally in five categories: Most Accessible Professors (2013) Best Classroom Experience (2011), Professors Get High Marks (2011, 2010), Campus Beauty (2010) and Involvement in Intramurals (2010) by The Princeton Review. 

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit