Community college board approves midyear tuition increase
Published: November 12, 2009
The State Board for Community Colleges today approved a midyear tuition increase to offset state budget cuts.
The increase of $7.30 per credit hour will take effect for the spring 2010 semester at the state’s community colleges, adding about $22 to the cost of a typical community college class.
The board said the increase was necessary to absorb four state funding cuts since 2008 that total $105 million.
Its action came as the Virginia Commonwealth University’s board of visitors also today discussed the possibility of an increase for the spring semester.
But VCU Rector Anne G. “Panny” Rhodes said she did not think the board would agree to a midyear hike.
The board was told VCU will need to eliminate 91 jobs over the next two years and significantly increase tuition as the result of state budget cuts that threaten its mission.
“I don’t believe in my heart,“ VCU President Michael Rao said, that most people “grasp the true gravity of the situation we face.“
John M. Bennett, VCU’s vice president for finance, said the university expects to receive $25.3 million less in state support for the current 2010 fiscal year. From 2008 through 2012, the loss is expected to total $66.5 million.
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Reader Reactions
How times have changed! I attended Wytheville Community college the first year it was not part of Virginia Tech in the late 60s. It was tough because they were determined to have their students be successful when they transferred. The tuition was $35.00 per quarter regardless of the number of hours taken. The price was the same until sometime after I graduated and went on to Emory and Henry. I lived hand to mouth but was able to pay my way through as I went along. If someone was in that situation today, I don’t think they could afford to attend a Community College without substantial loans. But to put it in perspective, I paid $1,200 per year tuition at Emory and Henry College as a day student.
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