Faced with diminishing funds, Virginia’s State Board of Community Colleges recently had to choose between layoffs, cutting programs or raising tuition.
The board approved a $7.30 per credit hour increase for both in-state and out-of-state tuition on Nov. 12 for the commonwealth’s 23 two-year community colleges, effective in the spring 2010 semester.
Considering the choices, Germanna Community College President David A. Sam said he agrees with the decision.
“They made a tough choice, but I think they made the right one,” Sam said during Thursday’s regular meeting with Germanna’s College Board at the Locust Grove campus.
Education officials say the tuition increase will allow community colleges — which have absorbed four state funding cuts since 2008 totaling $105 million — to have the resources to serve an increasing number of students.
“The demand for what we offer has never been higher,” said Jeff Kraus, assistant vice chancellor for public relations for the Virginia Community College System. “It was a tough choice for the board to face.”
While four-year colleges and universities are able to cap enrollment, community colleges are not.
“That often drives people who normally would get in (to four-year colleges) to community colleges because we are open-door,” Sam explained.
Germanna’s enrollment for credit courses is about 7,000; non-credit enrollment is about 13,000.
Sam added that Germanna could experience an additional 6 percent or $600,000 cut in state funding by in January or February.
“I don’t know for sure,” he said. “But if you’re reading the papers, you know revenues aren’t very good.”
Germanna operates on a $22 million budget, according to Richard Brehm, the college’s financial director.
Base tuition rates
In-state (old): $87.20
In-state (new): $94.50
Out-of-state (old): $259.30
Out-of-state (new): $266.60
* Per credit hour
New Fees
In-state: $7.75 per credit
Out-of-state: $17.75 per credit
Technology fees (both in and out-of-state): $5.50
Student activity fees (both in and out-of-state): $1.25
Parking fees (in and out-of-state): $1.25
Out-of-state Capital fees: $10
Source: Germanna Community College admissions office
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement