Northwest Has Tuition Increase
For the first time in five years, the Northwest Mississippi Community College Board of Trustees gave approval for an increase in tuition and some fees. The increase, which will take effect for the fall 2010 semester, was approved unanimously by the board during its regular meeting June 10 in the Haraway Center on the Senatobia campus.
“We never like to raise tuition, but it’s necessary with the economic times we are currently experiencing,” said Northwest President, Dr. Gary Lee Spears. “Our tuition remains less than that of many community colleges in the state, and we are offsetting the increase by deleting some fees which will help students manage the increase.”
For the coming year, 14 of the 15 community colleges in the state have approved tuition increases for students. An increase has not been made at Northwest since June 2005, but according to college officials, the college has seen a loss of more than $3 million in state appropriations in the past two years, while enrollment in fall of 2009 alone increased 16 percent. Enrollment for 2010 first term summer school has increased nearly 30 percent since last summer.
General fees/tuition for full-time, in-state students will increase from $850 to $975 per semester, with part-time, in-state student fees rising from $80 to $85 per semester hour. The full-time, out-of-state fee (paid in addition to the general fee) will remain at $1,000; however fees for part-time, out-of-state students will increase from $155 to $165 per semester hour. Residence hall and board fees will not change.
Some special fees, such as lab fees, late registration fee, change of schedule fee, transcript fee and graduation fee, have been eliminated or included in the general fee. The automobile registration fee for the first vehicle registered has been eliminated; additional decals will cost $5. Minor increases have also been made in the Nursing entrance test (TEAS) fee (from $30 to $40), the Nursing testing fee (from $110 to $130 per semester), the Residual ACT (from $30 to $40), and the returned check fee (from $10 to $25).
