San Jac bypasses tuition increase

Offers help for students

By: Jason Ovalle

Posted: 4/27/09

Tuition for students at San Jacinto College will see no change in their tuition, including the summer and fall semesters.

This news comes in after several articles published announced local colleges and universities have increased tuition for their students, while some institutions have proposed progress to help some segments of the enrollment.

Drexel University in Philadelphia, has satellite graduate studies centers in Sacramento, Calif.

There have been recent employment layoffs affecting their students in the master of business administration degree program.

In efforts to keep the students in their program and relive them of some of the financial burden.

Drexel University has decided to cut the tuition in half for its students.

San Jac in the past has received funding from the Texas Workforce Commission to assist students with funding for uniforms and items they may need for their jobs.

The college will most likely seek another set of grants from TWC.

"The majority of community colleges in the area are raising tuition for the fall semester," Teri Fowle, associate vice chancellor of marketing, said. "To make up for budget shortfalls, San Jacinto College has opted to keep tuition at the same rate for the fall semester and instead we are trimming expenses out of the budget to make up for the shortfall."

San Jac has recognized this issue and is already looking at ways to keep the costs affordable for its students.

San Jac board of trustee Chair Marie Flickinger, said the board is trying hard not to increase the tuition or property taxes.

"San Jac is still one of the best value in education you can find. The administration and board are working hard to keep it that way," said Flickinger.

Total college loans for four-year and two-year colleges bet-ween 2007-2008 reached $85 billion.