“The revenue shortfall is due to a $6-million enrollment revenue loss during the 2015-16 academic year, a $1-million revenue loss from our sponsoring school districts, uncertainties in state funding and increased operating expenses,” said HACC President John J. “Ski” Sygielski, Ed.D.
“As painful as it is to raise tuition and fees, for now, it is the only way for the College to raise additional revenue to cover part of the current shortfall,” Sygielski said.
HACC Board of Trustees Chairman Tom Richey said, “We took this action after careful deliberation of the financial realities facing the College in the 2016-17 fiscal year.”
The Board’s action:
- Increases tuition by:
- $13.50 per credit hour for students who live in one of HACC’s 22 sponsoring school districts (sponsoring school districts pay a portion of the tuition for residents who attend HACC)
- $6 per credit hour for students who live in a non-sponsoring school district
- $6 per credit hour for students who live out of state
- Increases the technology fee by $2 per credit hour
- Implements a $1.50 per-credit-hour fee for security-related investments on all five HACC campuses
The increases are effective immediately for students enrolling for the fall term that begins Aug. 29, 2016. Registration opens March 28 for the summer and fall 2016 terms.
“HACC strives to keep tuition as affordable as possible,” Sygielski said. “To help students with the cost of tuition and books, we encourage them to apply for Pell grants and scholarships provided by generous donors to the HACC Foundation.”
Students have until April 4 to apply for scholarship funds for fall 2016 and spring 2017.
“We continue working to establish a balanced budget for fiscal 2016-17. In addition to increased tuition and fees, cost-saving initiatives will be implemented,” Sygielski said. “We anticipate submitting a budget proposal in May for the Board’s approval.”
For more information, please email newsroom@hacc.edu.
About HACC
HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, offers more than 120 career and transfer associate degree, certificate and diploma programs to approximately 19,000 students. Also, the College serves students at its Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York campuses; through virtual learning; and via workforce development and continuing education training. For more information on how HACC is uniquely YOURS, visit hacc.edu. Also, follow us on Twitter (@HACC_info), like us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HACC64) and use #HACCNews.
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