FVCC puts the freeze on tuition
Sue Kelly goes through an assignment for a math class outside the Arts and Technology building at FVCC Friday afternoon. Nate Chute/Daily Inter Lake
Tanya Turner, left, studies for a math class with J.J. Bessette in the Eagle's Nest Cafe at Flathead Valley Community College. Bessette is pursuing a degree in elementary education. The college board decided Friday not to increase basic tuition next year. Nate Chute/Daily Inter Lake
College does 'everything possible' to help students
Flathead Valley Community College trustees voted Friday to keep tuition levels next year the same as this year.
Although a college budget committee recommended an increase of almost 6 percent, college President Jane Karas asked trustees to hold tuition at the 2009 fiscal-year level. The in-district tuition, therefore, will remain at $93 per credit for at least one year.
Trustees voted separately to approve a 3 percent fee increase (about 90 cents a credit), adding $12.60 to a full-time student's cost per semester.
Keeping the tuition rate at the 2009 level spared full-time students a $77-per-semester increase.
In making the recommendation, Karas pointed out that 98 percent of the community college students come from Flathead and Lincoln counties, which have the highest unemployment rates in the state.
"Some students are just trying to figure out how to feed their families," Karas said.
She added that the college needs to do everything possible to help students afford an education so they can support their families.
Karas told trustees that the college may need to revisit tuition for fiscal year 2011, the year after next.
The state Legislature assisted the college with money included in the stimulus spending bill, House Bill 645. However, Karas said the main budget bill, House Bill 2, took the reimbursement per student back to 2008 levels with an additional 2 percent cut.
She said the stimulus funds are "one time only" and don't maintain the college's base funding.
According to Karas, the college budget committee followed an extensive outreach process to faculty, staff and students in formulating recommendations for fee and tuition charges.
"We had an open student forum where we provided pizza," she said.
The college also sent out just fewer than 1,000 e-mails asking students to comment on the impact of recommendations. Karas said student responses varied, with some protesting additional charges and others saying they understood that costs keep going up.
Karas said the college adopted a philosophy of requesting small increases in fees based on inflation each year to avoid a large spike in any one year.
In making the request to hold tuition at the current level, Karas told trustees the move would require 'some additional belt tightening." She said the college has instituted cost-cutting measures such as not filling many vacant positions.
After the meeting, Karas said that the staff will begin calculating how much and where they need to cut costs. She said it depends on student enrollment, which lately has skyrocketed.
Flathead Valley Community College enrollment increases have outpaced all other post-secondary institutions in Montana. The spring semester had a 20 percent increase and early indications are that the summer semester may post record gains in students.
Karas said that the small increase in building fees shouldn't keep anyone from enrolling. She encouraged anyone who needs assistance to contact the college financial aid office to learn about the wealth of scholarships, grants, loans and payment plans available.
As an example, she said that federal Pell Grants for low-income students recently increased by more than $600 per year.
Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.