Sand Mountain Reporter

Students across the state will have to dig a little deeper to come up with tuition money beginning in 2010.

The Alabama Board of Education approved a tuition adjustment during its meeting Thursday. The initial adjustment will come in the spring 2010 when tuition goes from $71 to $85 per credit hour at most two-year colleges. For Snead State Community College in Boaz, the tuition, with the addition of fees that did not increase, will change from $94 to $108 per credit hour, an adjustment of 14.9 percent.

The adjustment was supported by college presidents throughout the Alabama Community College System, including Snead State President Robert Exley.

The tuition adjustment was a necessary response to the 7.5 percent proration implemented on Oct. 1. Many of the resources of the two-year colleges have been strained due to budget cuts and record enrollments linked to the uncertain economic times.

The tuition adjustment is expected to generate $21.5 million in additional revenue statewide during the 2009-2010 fiscal year. In addition to the spring adjustment, the tuition will change again to $90 per credit hour in the fall 2010. An additional $2 per credit hour increase was authorized for fall semester 2011 and beyond.

State Treasurer and 2010 gubernatorial candidate Kay Ivey attacked the board’s move, saying tuition is out of control. All of Alabama's largest four-year schools raised rates this school year, ranging from 5.7 percent to 21.8 percent.

“It’s outrageous that thousands of hardworking Alabama students now have to come up with $420 more each semester,” she said in a statement.

Exley understands the increase will be a hardship for some students, but he doesn’t want to see the institution’s doors close.

“Not a single president wants to balance our budget on the backs of our students,” said Exley. “However, every president is committed to keeping the door open to high quality educational opportunities. We will continue to reach out to students from all walks of life. I am grateful for the understanding and support of the Board, so that Snead State can continue to serve as a place of hope for our community during these rough times.”

Even with the tuition adjustment, the tuition among community colleges continues to be 41 to 52 percent lower than the state’s public universities. Pell grant increases and other federal actions will help offset the rise in tuition, and Snead State officials say they are committed to finding additional resources for students, such as the payment plan that was instituted this fall.

Stephanie Bell of Montgomery was the only board member to oppose the plan, which she said was unfair because the board had earlier voted not to raise rates before 2012. Bell said she was also against the hike because it's coming midyear after students have already planned out their expenses for 2009-10.

“There are students who will not qualify for a Pell Grant or need-based scholarships — they’re in the middle — and yet they have to pay for tuition plus their tax dollars go toward Pell and the scholarships,” she said. “So they’re getting hit twice. These students are there for a reason and $400 is a lot of money to most people.”

Preliminary numbers for September show 92,329 students were enrolled in the system’s 25 community and technical college campuses.

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