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Tuition goes up at Pima Community College

By Teresa Jun - email

Tuition is going up at Pima Community College.  By a vote of 4-to-1, the Board of Governors approved the tuition hike at a meeting Wednesday night.

For in-state students, that means the total cost of tuition and fees per unit is going up by 3.7 percent.  That's a $2 increase per unit -- raising total costs per unit from $53.50, up to $55.50.

For many students already struggling to stay afloat, by juggling classes and jobs, any increase can really add up.

"I think a lot of kids will start taking less classes," said Mandy Corella, a student studying psychology at PCC.  "Financial aid doesn't cover everything now, so I'd probably drop a lot of classes."

Out-of-state students will see their total tuition and fees per unit increase anywhere from 3.4 percent to 4.2 percent, depending on how many classes they take.

Pima Community College Chancellor Roy Flores recommended the Board approve the tuition increase, in light of the current economic climate.  But he added: "We are not going to rely on tuition increases to make up a major portion of the shortfall in revenues.  We are going to do everything possible to keep tuition increases within the historical range."

Leaders at PCC say the tuition increase is lower than the average tuition increase taking place  at community colleges across the state -- 6.5 percent.