Aaron Rhodes
Staff reporter
arhodes2@jccc.edu
[Editor’s note: In our print edition of this article (Vol. 38, Issue 8) we falsely stated that the increase was $3 per credit hour, rather than the correct amount of $2 per credit hour. We would like to apologize for this mistake.]
Many incoming and returning students may be disappointed to hear the college will be raising its tuition costs for the upcoming fall 2016 semester. The Board of Trustees noted the increase in costs at the April meeting with the new income going toward rising operating costs and salaries and benefits for college employees.
Board of Trustees chairman Greg Musil believes the entire board wished they did not have to raise rates but felt it was necessary.
“An unfortunate fact of life is that we live in an environment where our expenses keep growing despite many efforts to control them. I think the entire Board wishes we could have avoided a tuition increase, but my primary focus is on ensuring that students get a great value out of their tuition … We understand affordability is important, and I don’t think we will ever lose sight of that reality.”
Student Connor McCombs said the rate increase should not affect his plans to continue taking classes here.
“Three dollars doesn’t really seem that impactful,” said McCombs. “My freshman year I went to KU and just that alone is nine, ten grand just for tuition, and I came here taking the same amount of hours and it was under 1,500 dollars.”
Student Rhiannon Minster said she is more concerned for her family attending the college with rising costs than she is for herself.
“I’m not personally concerned about it for me, because I’m lucky that I ended up getting a scholarship next semester, but I’m more worried about it because my little brothers go to school here too and they’re starting full time, and as they take more and more classes it will [pile] up really quickly,” said Minster.