Board approves $2 tuition hike
By JJ Ossola
IV Leader Staff
Students will be paying $2 more per credit hour after a
tuition increase for the fall semester was approved by the board of trustees.
The vote means students will pay $63.25 per credit hour,
which includes tuition and the standard universal fee.
Student Government Association sent the board a letter of
support approving the proposed increase.
The tuition increase is part of a statewide trend. Rules from
the Illinois Community College Board, the state governing agency over two-year
schools, force community colleges to maintain a tuition cost equal to or greater
than 85 percent of the state’s average community college tuition.
Interim President Charles Novak said, “I had suggested that
we raise the tuition by $3 per credit hour so that we could have a cushion.
Although we won’t really know for a while yet, I really believe that other
colleges are going to go up $5 a credit hour. I think this trend will go on for
awhile and IVCC will be forced to catch up every year.”
In January the board of trustees was made aware that the
college might fall under the mandated 85 percent level if other community
college’s implemented $4 to $5 increases.
Since IVCC is towards the low end of the tuition cost per
credit hour and universal fees, if even a minority of schools raise their
tuition, the rules will force the school to meet the criteria or lose its
equalization funding.
Board member Dave Mallery said, “This (law) does seem to
unfairly penalize institutions that maintain the cost controls that allow for
lower tuition.”
Mallery expressed in the January board meeting that although
a class may cost less in per semester tuition and universal fees compared to
other community colleges, lab fees drive the overall cost up dramatically for
students.
Student trustee Matt Simko was asked to look into the impact
of the tuition increase on the student body at the January meeting.
In February, the school administration gathered student input
on the tuition increase through the Student Government Association.
Jerry Corcoran, vice president of business and finance, and
Controller Cheryl Roelfsema met with the SGA to outline the need for a tuition
increase.“This is an example of how we can engage people in more dialogue,” said
Corcoran. “I’m proud of the work they (SGA) do.”
While SGA members said in the Feb. 16 issue of IV Leader that
open student forums to disucss the tuition increase would be planned, those
meeting have not yet been scheduled.
Several board members were asked to comment on the tuition
increase and the possibility of future increases, but no one other than Mallery
responded for this article.