Tuition will rise once again. Starting in the summer 2014 semester, students will be paying an extra 10 percent — bringing the total tuition and fee per credit hour to $111.
Even with this increase, IVCC will still remain below the current Illinois community college average of $112.65.
Vice President for Business Services and Finance Cheryl Roelfsema expects “state funding [to] remain the same as last year and lower property values will result in a decrease in property tax levies.”
These same reasons — level state funding and decreased property value — led to a 10 percent increase last year as well and will continue to plague the college for years to come.
According to the Audit Finance Committee report, Roelfsema’s five-year forecast projected state funding and EAV to remain level, causing “Tuition increases [ranging] from 5 to 10 percent from 2015 to 2019 to maintain a balanced operating budget.”
IVCC President Jerry Corcoran stated the budget is as “lean” as it can be and does not expect any cuts to offset the decreased funding but “more of the cost has been shifted to the student.”
Corcoran emphasized that even with the increasing costs, “the quality of programs that IVCC has to offer has never been better… there is no better investment a person can make in one’s future that enrolling in classes at IVCC.”
The Audit Finance Committee recommended the increase on Feb. 3 and the Board of Trustees officially approved the increase on Feb. 13, with only trustee Dave Mallery voting “no.”
The cost for a full-time student enrolled in 12 credit hours will be $1,332 a semester.
The Board of Trustees also voted to increase course fees for 79 classes, decreases in 28 and the elimination of one course fee.
Other business at the February 2014 board meeting included approving the retirement of Gary Johnson, faculties director, and Marianne Dzik, dean of English, Mathematics, and Education.