VCCS authorizes tuition increase

Citing a need for proactive long-term planning for enrollment growth, the State Board for Community Colleges today authorized a tuition increase of approximately $6.89 per credit hour for in-state students, as approved by the General Assembly and Governor in the Appropriations Act for 2003-04. The increase goes into effect with the Fall 2003 semester.

The tuition increase "sustains student access to the Virginia Community College System in the face of unprecedented fiscal constraints and continuing enrollment growth," said Board Chairman Mary Louise Jackson, presiding over her last meeting on the State Board.

As a long-term goal, the State Board intends to "aggressively promote the mission of the VCCS to the Governor and General Assembly in order to obtain an adequate level of state support to achieve the goals of Dateline 2009, namely that the VCCS will become a world class institution in the next six years," she added.

Just as importantly, the State Board wants to begin planning for the future to make strategic investments over the next few years to achieve a "world class status" outlined in a vision statement called "Dateline 2009." The State Board approved that vision statement at its March 2003 meeting.

The $6.89 represents an increase in tuition from $52.71 per credit hour to $59.60 per credit hour for in-state students at community colleges across the Commonwealth. In addition, the current statewide technology fee of $3 would be increased by 15 cents. Together, an in-state student would pay about $62.75 per credit hour, or about $188.25 for a three-credit class.

Tuition for out-of-state students would also increase by $6.91 per credit hour, from $198.64 to $205.55. Out-of-state-students would also pay the $3.15 technology fee and a new $1.50 capital fee imposed by the General Assembly this year. Enrollment at Virginia's community colleges is about 94 percent in state, and out-of-state students generally pay the full cost of their education.

Budget cuts over the past biennium result in a funding loss of $8 million for fiscal year 2004 and $9 million for fiscal year 2005.

Tuition generated by the increase would begin to allow Virginia's community colleges to address the most critical needs of students, primarily access to additional classes and course sections, adequate laboratory supplies and equipment, and access to support services such as counselors and tutors. Resources provided by the technology fee would be used to support staffing and on-going costs of the VCCS Distance Learning Plan.
 

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