The Torch

Issue date: 6/4/09 Section: Budget

LCC students may soon have to react to a tuition surcharge and technology fee increase, two of the college's latest attempts to mitigate the effects of declining state funding for community colleges.

The LCC Budget Committee approved a proposal of a $3 tuition surcharge and $2 increase in the technology fee on May 27, but these figures have yet to be approved by the Board of Education. The amounts of the tuition surcharge and fee increase are still in flux since they rely on the final budget projection from Oregon's Ways and Means Committee, but four proposals from four different campus factions are on the table.

Based on three scenarios for possible state funding for the Community College Support Fund, from which LCC gets the majority of its revenue, LCC Education Association, LCC Education Federation, college administration and Associated Students of LCC formulated four tuition surcharge proposals.

"We proposed eight scenarios, a broader range," LCCEA president Jim Salt said. "We had a range for comparable funding from last year, which would be zero surcharge, up to $8." Of the three funding scenarios LCC proposed, LCCEA estimated that students could pay $4.50, $6 or $8 more per credit for tuition.

Salt said that as the CCSF's budget stands now, at $423 million, $4.50 per credit seems most accurate.

LCC President Mary Spilde explained that the budget committee, when planning LCCs budget, has always used a "placeholder" of $3 for the tuition surcharge, based on its estimate of how much funding the CCSF would receive this year. Two weeks ago, however, the Ways and Means Committee released a lower projection, $423 million, down from last year's $450 million. This has forced the college to rethink its tuition surcharge estimation.

"We don't want to move it much higher, because we're already the most expensive [community college] in the state," Spilde said. Portland Community College is the second highest, with tuition rates $5.50 less than LCC's per credit.

LCC tuition is currently $75.50 per credit. Last June, the college passed a scheduled tuition increase, bringing tuition for Summer term up to $78 per credit. The $3 tuition surcharge would be in addition to this increase. If passed, it would last two years.

The Budget Committee's proposal of a $2 increase in the technology fee would be permanent if passed by the board. Some of the revenue would be distributed to student internships. Currently, the technology fee is $3 per student per term.

Spilde said the Budget Committee walks a "fine balance" between fiscal needs and student requests, both of affordable education and diverse programs, which require more funding. "It's just this balance of being affordable and accessible [for students], and accessibility is certainly about tuition. It's also about, of course, having the right mix of programs and services so that people can get what they want," she said.

Spilde said that the issue is even harder for LCC students, because many do not qualify for financial aid. Thus, the increase in the Pell Grant provided by the federal stimulus package does not necessarily make it easier for LCC students to pay for classes.

LCC student Lance said a tuition surcharge is "a bad idea. I already dumped $1,100 on this term and I can't afford to come back next term." He did not wish to publish his last name.

LCC student Phil, who also didn't wish to publish his last name, expressed concern over possibly losing programs or services, "I can understand [the college's] need in the economy with the costs of everything increasing. Three dollars doesn't seem to be much. I'd rather see things stay the way they are than lose some things."

In coming up with a workable amount for the tuition surcharge, Spilde said a budget subcommittee, comprised of college administration, faculty members and student leadership, helps represent alternate perspectives on increasing tuition.

So far, both state funding for CCSF and the amount of LCC's tuition surcharge, have yet to be finalized. Spilde said a tentative, placeholder amount is in the budget, since had to be balanced by June 2, but the budget committee and the LCC Board of Education have yet to finalize any proposal. "It's a very fine balance," she said. "We're very much still in process with the issue."







Community college cost comparisons

LCC
Full time tuition (12 credits) - $906
Student fees - $101
Term total - $1,007
Year total - $3,021

LCC possible costs for 2009-10 school year if budget is approved
Full time tuition (12 credits) - $972
Student fees - $135.25
Term total - $1107.25
Year total - $3,321.84


Linn Benton
Full time tuition (12 credits) - $729
Student fees - $62.50
Term total - $792
Year total - $2,376


Chemeketa
Full time tuition (12 credits) - $732
Student fees - $78
Term total - $810
Year total - $2,430


Mt. Hood
Full time tuition (12 credits) - $823.20
Student fees - $78
Term total - $901
Year total - $2,704


Clackamas
Full time tuition (12 credits) - $744
Student fees - $60
Term total - $804
Year total - $2,412


Portland
Full time tuition (12 credits) - $840
Student fees - $73.20
Term total - $913
Year total - $2,740

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