College of DuPage ups tuition to $116 per credit hour
Tuition and fees are going up $8 per credit hour at College of DuPage starting with the summer session.
Board members approved the hike Thursday, blaming the lack of state financial support and the college's ongoing $300 million construction and renovation program for the increase.
"We all know stories of students who can't afford to be full-time anymore," said trustee Kathy Wessel, "but we have no other choice."
In-district students will soon pay $116 per credit hour.
It's the biggest bump in four years when the college raised tuition and fees $9 per credit hour. COD is the second most expensive community college in Illinois, behind Galesburg's Carl Sandberg College, which charges $127 per credit hour.
The increase marks a nearly 7 percent increase in tuition and fees at COD. It means a full-time student at the college taking 12 credit hours will pay $96 more than they would have in the past year. Registration for the summer session begins March 23 and classes kickoff May 26.
Almost half of the increase is going toward tuition costs, while $4.10 is being split among three fees. A technology fee increase of $2.50 is the lion's share, followed by a $1.50 construction fee increase and a 10-cent service fee spike. The technology fee is helping pay for upgrades to a new campuswide operating system, college officials said.
Tuition costs will rise to $92.15, up from $70.35 in 2006 when the college went to a semester system. Fee charges were $16.65 that year, compared to the $23.85 students will soon be paying.
Trustees said there was little they could do about the increase because the state doesn't send as much reimbursement to offset costs as they have in the past. Trustee Dave Carlin pointed out the college is still owed upward of $40 million with interest from promised Illinois First funds earmarked during former Gov. George Ryan's administration.
Other trustees said the need for tuition hikes was "inherited" from past boards who approved the massive capital improvement plan the college is currently undertaking by adding two new buildings and doing major renovations at several others.
"I don't think anyone likes to see tuition increase," said board Chairman Mike McKinnon, "but the vast majority of the increase was agreed upon when the mast plan was approved."