In response to declining state funding, the Austin Community College District Board of Trustees increased tuition and restructured some student fees effective fall 2011.

Fall in-district tuition increased by $5 to $52 per credit hour. The rate for out-of-district students will be $194 per hour ($52 tuition plus a $142 out-of-district fee). The board previously voted to increase summer tuition by $5 per hour and is expected to approve a $5 increase per hour effective spring 2012. The move to an out-of-district fee plus the standard tuition rate brings ACC in line with the policies of many other Texas community colleges.

“ACC is committed to maintaining quality programs and services for our students, and this increase was an unfortunate necessity, considering the extreme cuts in state funding we’re facing,” says Dr. Barbara Mink, board chair. “ACC remains among the lowest-cost providers of higher education in the state. We are phasing in the increase to minimize impact on students, and the college will continue to examine all cost-saving options.”

The college is implementing institutional efficiencies, which include an increase in class limits, scheduling efficiencies, and 10 percent reductions of administrative budgets. The college has expanded scholarship opportunities, and students have a variety of tuition payment options.

Public community colleges have three primary funding sources: the state, local property taxes, and tuition/fees. In 2001, state funding constituted nearly 41 percent of ACC’s budget, compared with less than 23 percent of this year’s budget. That is projected to fall to 18.5 percent in next year’s budget beginning September 1.

The decline in state support shifts costs to either increased tuition and fees, increased local property tax rates, or reduction of instructional programs and services.

Community colleges across the state enroll more than half of all public higher education students and are the fastest-growing segment of higher education. ACC’s enrollment is growing at a rate exceeding 4,000 students annually (with a record 45,056 students this semester).Â

“For years, ACC has prepared for this tough economic situation. Through effective planning and budgeting, the college has fared better than most institutions,” says Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow, ACC president/CEO. “We intend to continue to meet the demand for more programs and services, rather than retrench, given the critical role ACC plays in regional economic development and the creation of a larger, more prosperous middle class.”

The board approved additional student fee changes for fall. These include:

• Elimination of the transcript fee. This will streamline the transcript request process and provide a minor offset to tuition and fee increases.
• Conversion of lab fees to course fees. This gives ACC more flexibility to recoup actual lab course costs rather than only the cost of certain course supplies.
• Implementation of a student accident insurance fee. This will replace certain course-based insurance fees and result in a lower cost to many students ($3 per year) and better coverage.
• Implementation of a fee for partial assessment testing. ACC currently charges college-readiness assessment test fees to students who take an entire test, but there is a growing number of students who take just a portion of the test.

Fall registration begins May 16 for current and former students and June 13 for new students. For information on applying to ACC and registering for classes, please visit austincc.edu/apply.

In-district tuition applies to students who reside within ACC’s taxing district, which includes the city of Austin as well as the Austin, Leander, Manor, Del Valle, Round Rock, Elgin, and Hays school districts. Texas residents who live outside the taxing district pay the out-of-district rate. Out-of-state residents will pay $298 per credit hour this fall.