Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Pima Community College Debating Tuition Increase for Lack of State Funding

Posted By on Wed, Mar 11, 2015 at 4:00 PM


The state Legislature passed a budget Saturday that eliminates funding for Pima Community College. Now, PCC has to figure out how it will make up for that loss, which might mean students have another tuition increase coming their way.

The PCC Governing Board is meeting this afternoon to discuss increases of $3, $5 and $10 per credit hour.

"When (the administration) discussed the options with the student government leaders, they were very apprehensive about the $10 increase. We will relay that message to the board," a message on the PCC website said. "The college is very sensitive to the impact of tuition increases on our students and is working to minimize the effects of the lost state aid, while ensuring we have the resources needed to provide quality education and services to our students."

One year ago, the PCC board voted to increase tuition by nearly 8 percent, or $5 per credit hour, and since fall 2014 in-state tuition is $2,115. 

The school also issued a message to remind students that budget cuts do not interfere with federal financial aid—the FAFSA process is the same and students should still apply for grants and loans.

"PCC has a strong financial footing and will work hard to absorb the lost state budget revenue without negatively impacting the education and services we provide," the PCC administration says. "The state has been reducing its support to PCC for years and we have been anticipating the day when the state provided no funding to the college."

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