California has struggled economically over the last few years. With state funding for community colleges being cut, there needs to be a way to make that deficit up another way.
The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), a part of California’s government, aims to help. The LAO recommends that Schwarzenegger’s budget include a fee increase for California community colleges from $26 per unit to $40. While roughly a 50% increase in fees for students, the potential results are promising.
If the fee increase takes place, an additional $150 million will be brought in for California Community Colleges (CCC). Even with a price of $40 per unit, California’s community college system would still have the lowest fees in the country. While low tuition fees may sound good to the students, CCC also has the lowest fee revenue in the entire nation. The LAO believes a raise in fees will generated additional much needed income for CCC’s.
While California’s community colleges could definitely use the extra money, is it worth charging more money to students wanting an education? The answer is yes. While $14 per unit extra is a sizeable addition to fees, many students won’t feel the added cost.
“Keeping fees low does nothing to help lower income students because these students don’t have to pay fees due to a long standing fee-waiver program.” Says Steve Boilard, LAO’s Higher Education Director. Basically, students who receive financial aid won’t experience any difference from the increase in price.
Students that don’t receive financial aid will be expected to pay the additional fees, however, the federal government offers tax credit programs that will allow these students to deduct tuition costs from their annual taxes. Boilard goes on to say, “In effect, the federal government would provide most of this new funding to support the community colleges.”
While paying more usually never seems like a good thing, COS could definitely use the additional revenue.
5 comments
In regards to those who recieve financial aid do feel the impact. The Board of Govenor's fee waiver helps those who are in a certain income bracket. But not all students recieve the BOG waiver. Many of the students due not qualify because they live on their own, yet their parents still claim them on their income tax but do not provide any financial assistance. Therefor disqualifying them for the BOG fee waiver or any other financial aid assistance. In addition, majority of community college students are over the age of 27 and are part time students. Of those of the group will have to pay the fee increase. Many of these students will take few classes or be forced to drop out due to the fee increase and not having the ability to pay for the high prices of textbooks.