College increases tuition by $3 for fall
By Brooke Fisher
IV Leader Editor
Students attending IVCC this fall will pay an additional $3 per credit hour in tuition after the Board of Trustees approved a tuition increase at their April 17 meeting.
The $3 increase, from $50 per credit hour to $53, helps the college recover from cuts in the state budget that have impacted educational institutions across the state.
“We feel we will be losing at least $200,000 or more in 2003 from state funding,” said college president Dr. Jean Goodnow. “The Illinois Legislature has proposed a budget that would create an even grimmer financial outlook. This tuition increase will generate about $210,000, which may partially offset the state losses.
“The state is currently $1.1 billion in the red. They are trying to iron out a balanced budget.”
Colleges across the state have passed or are considering tuition increases this spring in reaction to the state’s budget crisis. For example, Southern Illinois University is considering an 18 percent increase; University of Illinois, a 10 percent increase; and Illinois State University, an 11 percent increase.
IVCC’s 6 percent increase also is in line with increases that have been prosposed or passed at neighboring community colleges. Kishwaukee College in Malta has proposed a $7 tuition increase while Sauk Valley in Dixon and Joliet Junior College will each have a $3 increase.
“IVCC remains very affordable compared to the cost of other community colleges and four-year universities,” Goodnow said. “This added revenue allows us to maintain high-quality instruction for now despite the money crunch at the state level and our own need for more local support.”
IVCC will remain in the top one-third of the state’s community colleges for tuition costs. Shawnee Community College will have the lowest tuition in the state at $40.75 per credit hour while William Rainey Harper College will have the highest at $62 per credit hour. Eleven of the state’s 39 community colleges will continue to have a higher tuition rate than IVCC.
The higher tuition is necessary because in addition to the reduced state money, IVCC also has one of the lowest operating tax rates of Illinois community colleges at 17 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
Only Southwestern Community College at 16 cents is lower.
“IVCC would like to maintain its quality for the students now and in the future,” Goodnow said.“The last time we had a tuition increase was in 2001-2002, which was a $1 increment,” the president said. “During the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 school year tuition was then increased $3 each year. The following two years have been raised $1.”
Board members noted their wish to keep higher education affordable for all students and were reassured that some financial aid recipients will not be hurt by the tuition increase.
“One positive item that should be noted is IVCC students who receive state MAP grants or veterans grants will have this increase covered by their grants,” said Goodnow.
Last year, 517 students received the state’s Monetary Award Program allocation and more than 120 received veterans grants.