New Hampshire Community College

N.H. community college students to see tuition hikes

PORTSMOUTH — The Community College System of New Hampshire is following the actions of the state university system in approving tuition hikes for the upcoming school year.

Spokeswoman Shannon Reid said the board of trustees voted Tuesday during a meeting at Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth to raise tuition by 7.7 percent, resulting in an increase from $195 per credit to $210 per credit.

This change will add roughly $225 per semester to the in-state tuition costs of a full-time student, bringing tuition costs for full-time attendance to approximately $6,300 per year.

The announcement follows a 20 percent reduction in state funding, the largest for community colleges in the system’s history. General operating support will drop from $37.5 million to $29.6 million, according to a statement from the CCSNH. Paul Holloway, CCSNH board chairman, said the cuts have forced the board to make difficult decisions.

“We do not take this step lightly, and are painfully aware of the hardship this will cause to New Hampshire’s community college students and those who intend to pursue a college education and career training,” he said. “We will not compromise the quality of our programs, which prepare New Hampshire people for skilled employment here in the state.”

The tuition increase alone is not enough to meet the budget shortfall, college officials said. Great Bay Community College President Will Arvelo said they are looking at “across the board” cuts to balance their budget.

It could result in the consolidation of courses, increased classroom sizes and reduced hiring of adjunct faculty, all of which would impact students, he said.

“It’s the nature of the environment we’re working in,” Arvelo said. “We’re still the most inexpensive educational opportunity in the state.”

N.H. community colleges expect to increase tuition after funding ...

PORTSMOUTH — When Community College System of New Hampshire trustees meet Tuesday at Great Bay Community College they will likely announce a record tuition increase to help offset an $8 million cut in state funding.

Tuition hikes for CCSNH students come in the wake of near double-digit tuition increases announced last week for University System of New Hampshire students. USNH trustees set hikes at 8.7 percent for the University of New Hampshire and 9.7 percent for students at Keene State College and Plymouth State University.

By comparison, the near $6,000-per-year cost at one of the state's seven community colleges remains a bargain, said Great Bay Community College President Will Arvelo. Great Bay at Pease International Tradeport faces an estimated $1 million cut from the school's $12 million operating budget. "We already run a bare-bones budget," he said.

The extent of the cuts proposed first by Gov. John Lynch and then later during the budget process by legislative budget writers came as CCSNH experienced an almost 35 percent increase in enrollment over the past three years, and has become the state's major worker training institution.

"It came as a shock to us," said CCSNH Chancellor Dick Gustafson. He said the system had been flat-funded for the past few years and with a skyrocketing demand, they hoped for a modest increase even as the state coped with a revenue shortfall. Instead, the final tally showed a 20 percent cut from a $37 million annual budget.

"It's really creating some stress for us. Our programs are focused on the 95 percent of students who are from New Hampshire and who stay and work here after they graduate," Gustafson said. "I will say the legislators were very understanding and respectful of what community colleges mean to New Hampshire."

Even before the budget cuts, New Hampshire ranked near the bottom nationally for state support of community colleges. "A lot of states have 50 percent to 60 percent to 80 percent support," said Paul Holloway, CCSNH board chairman. "It is 30 percent in New Hampshire. Every state in the country is in tough shape and has had its comeuppance. The Legislature is doing what they can with what they have."

But continued cuts could come with an economic cost. Holloway, recently appointed to a second term as board chair, said not enough people know how much CCSNH has become an integral part of the state economy because of its numerous partnerships with local businesses such as Lonza. He said the goal in the current budget climate "is not to sacrifice quality and start down a slippery slope.

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