 "Photo: Illustration by Isabel Webb")
Last Monday, members of the DMC Board of Regents (BOR) discussed increasing tuition rates from $38 per hour to $42 per hour and also increasing building, instructional and in-district fees as the result of a lack of state funds.
No property tax increase is anticipated, so that leaves the college with no choice but to increase prices to increase revenue, according to Regents.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If taxpayers get a break from paying more money to compensate the school, then it should be a relief, a relief not only for the people of Corpus Christi, but also DMC employees.
The idea for the tuition increase, according to Claudia Jackson, DMC spokeswomen, is to “maintain a level of excellence and provide access to many venues as possible.”
However, the plan is not without its flaws. While it is good that employees will not worry about their paychecks, other people will have moths coming from their pockets telling them to “buy war bonds.”
It is unfortunate that the great state of Texas cannot assist its community colleges but instead favors the more expansive Ivy League colleges. Nonetheless, DMC remains one of the more affordable colleges in Nueces County.
Even as hikes are being discussed and implemented at DMC, most other colleges have not followed into DMC’s footsteps, but in some cases they have.
Officials at Coastal Bend College in Bee County do not plan to increase tuition and fees, which stand at $772. Officials at the University of Texas, on the other hand, plan to increase tuition by 4% to avoid any cuts in services.
As the public may or may not know, DMC will make these changes to keep the college’s head above water. At this point, DMC officials making a move like this may seem like a bad choice, but it is quite smart.
Put it this way – would the students rather have a school that has small tuition fees but severely cuts its expenses by eliminating programs such as Student Appreciation Day where free food is served or have facilities go to Hell in a hand basket with leaks all over the rooms and hallways?
Or would they rather have a school that is smart with its budget and provides for things like sufficient equipment for intramural sports or video games for the students in the Harvin Student Center?
The choice is not hard to make, but it’s easy not to see the big picture. The first reaction to any type of cost increase is often the rolling of eyes, heaving sighs of frustration and sometimes tears of sadness that well up in the eyes of students sick of the weight on their shoulders.
It’s understandable that tuition and fee increases might seem like an inconvenience to a student with little money, because it is. However, in the long run, at least the school will last long enough to support future generations.
Be the first to comment on this article!