Higher Education at greater costs per proposed tuition increase Evan Marshall Senior Staff Reporter The Maricopa Community College District (MCCD) Governing Board is being asked to study a proposal for a $2 per credit hour increase in tuition for the 1999-2000 school year. This increase would raise the cost of tuition and fees from $38 to $40 per credit hour. Therefore, the increase for a full time student enrolled in 15 credit hours would be an additional $30 per semester. The estimated impact of this increase is about $2.98 million in additional funds for the MCCD. The main reasons for this increase and additional information were presented on Feb. 23 during a public student forum in the GCC student lounge. At this meeting, Debra Thompson, Director of Financial Planning and Budget for MCCD talked about the proposed tuition increase and how this additional money would be spent. “We try to adapt a budget that meets the demands of services,” Thompson said. According to Thompson, one of the main reasons that extra money is needed is to support the growing number of students. Enrollment at Maricopa Community Colleges is expected to grow 3 to 5 percent over the next year. A big part of these additional funds is planned to cover costs of hiring more faculty and allowing for new and additional courses to be offered. “It’s to allow us to serve people better,” Thompson said. “These added dollars are also planned to help provide better student services and activities, including more money for scholarships. “There was a particular emphasis on adding some scholarship money,” Thompson said. She also stated the need “to add new activities and expand on what we have.” Other reasons given for the tuition increase were to cover inflationary costs, make all computer systems year 2000 compatible, and to build a performing arts center at South Mountain Community College. At the student forum, Thompson conveyed all of these advantages that would come with the extra money, and explained how the District’s main intention is to help the colleges grow and provide students with the best services possible. However, a number of students are still wondering whether or not this tuition increase is really necessary. Some students expressed concern about possible continuing increases in tuition price that could eventually make college unaffordable to many people in the future, noting that just last year tuition was raised $1 per credit hour. Thompson stated that there are no current plans for future increases because budget issues are decided on a year to year basis, but added that “pretty much every year tuition has gone up.” Even considering the proposed $2 increase, it would raise tuition and fees to a total of $1,200 a year for a full time student, still lower than the national average for public two-year institutions which is $1,381. Although the increase has been proposed, it is not set in stone just yet. The proposal was submitted to the five-person elected governing board as an “information only” item on Feb. 23, and the board will be asked to vote on it March 23. If it is approved, it will then be forwarded to the Arizona Board of Directors for Community Colleges for a vote on April 16. If the measure is passed, the tuition increase will be effective July 1, 1999.