$1 tech fee increase for 2019 still in effect despite tuition reduction
BY: TYRA LESSMAN
Print Editor-in-Chief
St. Louis Community College has reduced its tuition for students by 5 percent following bipartisan efforts by Missouri Legislature and Gov. Mike Parson to restore budget cuts that would have raised tuition by as much earlier this year. The outcome is an estimated $1.7 million savings based on projected credit-hour enrollment.
The signing of FY 2019 by Gov. Parson, which focuses in part on stabilizing higher education budgets, contributed directly to the reduction. Missouri House Bill 2003 allocates revenue and funding for higher education, including a $2 million portion for SkillUP, which benefits SNAP recipients through education opportunities, vocational training, job search and vocational trainings.
In a March Board of Trustees meeting, a five percent increase to maintenance fees was approved in response to the cuts recommended by former Gov. Eric Greitens.
Uncertainties in the state budget were cited in the authorization of the chancellor to reduce fees to fall 2017 amounts, if feasible.
“We were thrilled when we heard. As soon as it happened, the next day we requested the reduction,” said Jeff L. Pittman, chancellor.
Students of STLCC who registered for the fall 2018 semester were initially billed at the increased rate, but fees have already been reassessed, and students who have already paid will be automatically refunded the difference, according to Pittman.
“Our goal is to get students through to graduation with little or no debt,” said Pittman.
Although tuition is now reduced, faculty layoffs and a suspension of sabbaticals from 2018 remain.
“These are completely separate issues. (The reduction in force) doesn’t actually have much to do with the tuition reduction. The tuition reduction was a decision that stemmed from anticipated budget cuts that did not happen. It was first raised five percent, and when the budget was restored, tuition was reduced again,” said Dr. Carol Lupardus, provost at Meramec campus.
Tuition rates for last year were valued the same as the now-reduced tuition, with the exception of a $1 tech fee increase for 2019.
As of now, no restorations of sabbaticals or department funding are being considered. However, according to Lupardus, most faculty and staff at STLCC are expected to receive an increase in pay.
“I think efforts have been very strategic and thoughtful to keep budget, and to be very conscientious about our spending. I think we are very good stewards of the taxpayers’ money,” said Lupardus.
The Meramec provost, a member of the College Leadership Team, which makes suggestions and gives input to the Board of Trustees on matters like tuition changes, called increases to tuition a “last resort” recommendation.
Chancellor Pittman and Provost Lupardus both said that they foresee growth in the stability of the financial health of the college in the next year, and are hopeful that tuition reductions like this will result in better enrollment rates across all the campuses.
“We’re very financially sound at this point. This is the first time we’ve had a balanced budget in probably 10 years. We’d be working on a $5 million deficit if we hadn’t made the hard decisions we made this year. And we are thrilled to be able to offer this reduction to tuition this year, too,” said Pittman.
“It’s really all about you (the students). Making getting a degree doable. Affordable,” said Lupardus.
