Students attending classes in the Maricopa County Community College District will likely be looking at higher tuition rates.
The board that runs the district is considering hiking tuition rates by 9 percent for the next school year, the district’s largest proposed tuition hike this decade.
If approved, the district said students would pay $71 per credit hour, $6 more than this year.
“No one, and I think the faculty in particular, likes to see increases in tuition,” said Barry Vaughan, incoming president of the district faculty association. “We believe in keeping tuition as low as possible. We don’t like to shift that burden onto the students.”
Those attending community colleges in Maricopa County got a break last year when MCCCD held off raising tuition rates.
District officials said this time the colleges need more tuition revenue.
In particular, MCCCD must pay to operate its new facilities, provide additional student scholarships and employee raises, said Debra Thompson, vice chancellor in charge of business services. Also, the district needs to pay for new programs aimed at keeping students in school.
