The HACC Midtown II building in Harrisburg.
HACC students will have to pay a bit more for the next academic year, as the college plans to raise tuition and fees to close a budget gap.
The Harrisburg-based regional community college announced late today that its board of trustees has passed a $142 million budget with an average 2.9-percent tuition hike.
“HACC faces enrollment challenges similar to other colleges and universities across the commonwealth and throughout the country,” HACC President John J. “Ski” Sygielski said in a press statement.
Sygielski said that HACC faced a $1.7 million shortfall for the 2018-19 academic year. The board then raised tuition and fees to yield an extra $2.4 million, he said.
HACC’s tuition will increase by $6 per credit hour for sponsoring, non-sponsoring and out-of-state tuition rates.
So, for an in-state resident who lives in one of the 22 sponsoring school districts, tuition will increase from $174.25 to $180.25 per credit hour (3.4 percent increase). For non-sponsored, in-state residents, tuition will go from $211 to $217 per credit hour (2.8 percent increase). Out-of-state residents will pay $262 per credit hour, up from $256 (2.3 percent increase).
There also will be a $25 per-credit-hour increase in tuition rates for “College in the High School” and dual enrollment programs, and a $1-per-credit-hour increase in technology fees for students.
Sygielski also said that the college would reduce expenses “that are directly controlled by the college” and would try to identify outsourced projects that could be brought in-house. Cost-cutting should save the school almost $1.5 million, he said.
Separately, TheBurg reported today that some arts classes have been targeted for elimination, leading to a petition drive among students to have the cuts restored.
The 2018-19 budget also includes a 2-percent salary increase for employees.
“This modest increase recognizes the hard work contributed by HACC employees to the success of the college,” Sygielski said.
In addition to its Harrisburg location, HACC has campuses in Gettysburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York. For more information, visit www.hacc.edu.
