Tuition and fees are going up at the state’s community college by about 5% in fiscal year 2024.
The Board of Regents for Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) approved the increase at its meeting Wednesday.
The state’s dozen community colleges are merging into one institution with multiple campuses, Connecticut State Community College, or CT State, starting July 1.
The 5% increase in tuition and mandatory fees at CT State represents a $266 annual increase for full-time community college students, according to CSCU Chancellor Terrence Cheng.
The board set CT State tuition at $183 per credit, which would translate to $4,386 for full-time students annually in fiscal year 2024.
Tuition is currently at $174 per credit, for a full-time annual rate of $4,176.
This translates to an increase of $9 per credit, or $210 annually.
When calculating both tuition and mandatory fees, students can expect to pay about 5% more than in the current fiscal year, according to Cheng.
Lawmakers approved CSCU’s budget at $632.5 million for fiscal year 2024, and at $516.5 million for fiscal year 2025.
Cheng said the Board of Regents’ spending plan for fiscal year 2024 “takes several important steps to solidify CSCU’s position.”
It also begins to make preparations for the $116 million reduction in overall state funding expected in fiscal year 2025, the second year of the biennial state budget, according to Cheng.
The Board of Regents on Wednesday also approved a 3% increase in undergraduate tuition and fees at Charter Oak State College and a 2% increase in graduate-level tuition and fees.
The board is requiring a review of academic offerings to ensure they are meeting student needs and workforce demands, while also being financially sustainable.
The board required all CSCU institutions to develop and submit fiscal year 2025 deficit mitigation plans to it by Nov. 1, 2023, for the board’s consideration and approval.
“These are difficult decisions,” Cheng said, in a letter to the CSCU community. “The board and the system office understand the struggles our students face and see tuition increases as a last resort. At the same time, the financial reality driven by significant projected declines in state support are such that action is needed now.”
According to Cheng, institution leaders and their teams will work together over the coming year to “develop mitigation strategies,” to adapt to the approved budget for fiscal year 2025.
“They will approach this process with open ears and open minds, but with the understanding that we must do everything in our power to ensure the long-term viability of our colleges and universities,” Cheng added.
Meanwhile, the recently approved state budget includes additional funding for the state’s free community college program, called Pledge to Advance Connecticut, or PACT, aimed at helping more students afford college.
The appropriation for PACT will increase from the current $15 million in fiscal year 2023 to $23.5 million for fiscal year 2024, and $28.5 million in fiscal year 2025, according to Leigh Appleby, a spokesperson for the CSCU system.
