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.”
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2015.
If this does not show you that your government does not care about you, then America is blind.
When a state ceases to support it’s community colleges it is apparent that the state has a cancer that must be excised.
I recommend this article on why Arizona needs to ensure that our community colleges our successful and funded appropriately. http://www.highereducation.org/reports/pa_at/
If you keep voting in Republicans, this is to be expected. If you do not believe in government, you also do not believe in public education.
I agree that Arizona is not fulfilling its Constitutional responsibility to fund public education.
However, it must me noted, that PCC shot itself in the foot when it changed its mission of open admissions and responsibility to provide developmental education courses. Chancellor Lambert said so himself to the Aztec Press, “Also, I think the college, when it made its mission change a few years back, hurt itself tremendously.”
At a PCC Governing Board meeting in April, 2012, a member of the Pima Open Admissions Coalition said to the Board that if they made this change, they would see a decline in enrollment of 11% every year. He was exactly correct!
Sadly, three of the five board members are still on the board. Our community asked them to resign, telling them that their presence will continue to damage Pima Community College.
In 2016, two of them will be on the ballot. It is imperative that they be replaced with responsible board members.
Are you MAD as Hell and you’re NOT going to take it any longer? (at the Republican led State Legislature and their resent cuts to Public Education) –
Work off some of that frustration and make your voice heard –
Join http://www.ArizonaStandsUP.com for the “MARCH for EDUCATION”, Saturday March 14 at 9:30 am. Park at Tucson High’s Parking lot. We will March in mass to the University of Arizona’s Festival of Books. Rally on the east side of Old Main around 10:30. We love and support the Festival of Books and will not disrupt the event. We have worked things out with the University. Please – do something – join http://www.ArizonaStandsUP.com for the MARCH for EDUCATION.