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MCCCD raises tuition 9 percent for next year
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Students in the Maricopa County Community College District will pay 9 percent more for their classes next school year. The district's governing board voted 4-1 in favor of the tuition increase Tuesday night, the largest jump for MCCCD this decade.
District officials argued for the higher tuition rate to help the system's 10 colleges cover their own rising expenses, after sparing students any tuition increase last year.
Students will pay $71 per credit hour in the fall, $6 more than this semester. For students enrolled full time - 12 or more credit hours each semester - their classes will cost at least $1,704 next school year.
"If you look at the economy as a whole, the cost of doing business is increasing for us," said Scott Crowley, a board member. "We have employees that we have to take care of."
MCCCD is paying to operate new facilities, provide more scholarships and give its employees raises. The district is also launching several new programs to keep students enrolled and moving toward graduation.
Seven of MCCCD's colleges lost enrollment this school year, particularly the older, more established campuses such as Mesa Community College.
The district enrolls more than 120,000 students each semester.
No students spoke at the board meeting. Gaye Murphy, an MCCCD associate vice chancellor, met with students at each district college, about 150 in total, and said they were concerned about the amount of financial aid available.
Some college officials also voiced concern about affordability.
"I don't believe we're keeping tuition in line with students' ability to pay for it," said Jerry Walker, a board member and the lone vote against the tuition increase.
Despite supporting the increase, Crowley said, "it's unfortunate that the students have to pick up some of that (expense), because they're on the lower end of the economic scale."
In other news, the board voted unanimously to hire Jan Gehler, a dean with the University of Alaska at Anchorage, as Scottsdale Community College's next president.
Gehler currently heads a community college within the Alaska university.
She is to begin July 1 and will be only the second president in SCC's history. Art DeCabooter, the outgoing president, has led the college for 30 years.
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