Tuition costs to rise next year

Students at EvCC will be paying more for tuition next year, after the state board made the decision to increase tuition two percent for all state technical and community colleges on Tuesday.

The legislature will allow the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to increase tuition two percent for full-time students all over the state according to Suzy Ames, Director of Communications for the board.

 “The board recognizes that students attending part-time are usually lower income, and any increase in tuition would have a high impact,” Ames said.

“An average tuition increase of two percent will mean a difference of 30 dollars per quarter for full-time students,” said Michael Kerns, Executive Vice President of EvCC.

Tuition for EvCC now costs $23.80 per credit for people taking over 10 credits, and $74.30 for students taking 10 credits or less. The increase in tuition for the next academic year will raise tuition prices to $29.80 per credit for people taking over 10 credits, but will not affect tuition costs for part-time students.

Originally, the state board requested a tuition freeze, and that the state would provide the money that would have been gathered by any tuition increase. The board wanted a zero percent increase of student-paid tuition, but a five percent increase that the state would have been required to pay colleges. Gov. Christine Gregoire proposed that tuition be frozen for students, but that the state pay a three percent tuition increase. The legislature’s decision on Tuesday means that tuition will increase two percent for students, and the state will pay an extra one percent in lieu of an actual increase.

“We commend the state board and Gov. Gregoire for proposing to freeze tuition, and appreciate the legislature’s effort to keep tuition low,” said Kerns.

However, EvCC administrators feel that tuition costs should not have been increased. Tuition prices increased five percent from the 2005/2006 school year to the 2006/2007 school year.

“We are concerned about increasing tuition over time,” said Kerns.

The one percent tuition increase that the state will fund is meant for inflationary costs such as gas and electricity, according to Ames.

The state funding will amount to $67,000 for EvCC. It will be used to offset the increasing costs of running the college, said Kerns.

“Tuition is the only main source of revenue for existing costs,” said Kerns.

Despite the tuition increase, the state board is continuing to try to keep tuition low.

“The state board has done a full study of tuition and affordability to find different ways to fund colleges and increase financial aid. They understand that affordability is an issue,” Kerns said.