ASG fee could meet tough opposition

By Jason White

Mt. Hood Community College’s student senate passed a $1 student fee boost amid a rekindling of possible tuition increases by the district board.

“[A tuition increase is] on the table – it has to be,” said college President Robert Silverman, adding that the senate’s timing on the vote was “really bad” given MHCC’s budget crunch.

In response to declining revenue, the administration eliminated $200,000 in equipment allocation for 2006-2007 and cut $250,000 from campus maintenance efforts. Department budgets across the college have undergone reductions – what the administration calls “savings” – as college administrators are anticipating a $950,000 overall shortfall by biennium’s end in June, 2007.

In rhythm with this year’s staff-based workday reductions, administrators pin additional savings on 2006-2007 contract negotiations, which could spell a decrease in pay for teachers, classified employees and administrators without a reduction in required workdays.

Administrators will also look to fill or open staff positions, depending on how their budget-balancing act pans out.

“I think the issue is very clear. We don’t have enough students,” Silverman said Monday.
In a report released by college administrators, MHCC’s enrollment experienced a slight rise of 1.8 percent during fall 2005. The flipside, said Silverman, is that while enrollment has grown, tuition-based revenue has fallen.

The college’s best estimates show tuition-generating enrollment down by 4 percent, with non-tuition generating classes at a 20 percent enrollment spike compared to last year – meaning more students are popping up at MHCC but have failed to affect its revenue stream.

“We’re aware that students are price-sensitive, and we can’t [create] any disincentive for students to come here,” Silverman said, referring to ASG’s effort to increase the student activity fee. The board, according to Silverman, would likely consider a general tuition increase over a student-body fee increase, though he did admit he couldn’t speak for the board.

The activity fee boost is slated to bring in over $190,000 yearly if passed by the board. But, with a potential bond campaign that could cost $120,000, along with staff cost of living and insurance increases due to kick in next year, the board may be hard-pressed to consider an addition to current fees.

Board members recently approved a 50-cent technology fee increase, which will go into affect in fall 2006.

If ASG’s presentation can show board members that the fee will add rather than detract from enrollment, the $1 add-on could win approval.
“If [ASG] had more money and they could build a case that [they could attract] students, then maybe that would offset a tuition increase,” said Silverman. “Students have said in the past that if you protect our programs, then we don’t mind paying a few more dollars.”

Last year, the college hired a firm to conduct surveys, in preparation for it’s current advertising campaign, which showed the college’s program offerings were one of the perceived top-three benefits to students.
Student body Vice President Richard Test contends an activity fee increase could spur word-of-mouth plusses throughout East County, and therefore could help patch up the board’s cited disconnect between MHCC and the community.

“If we get this money and we start doing things to enrich programs and make the quality of education for students on campus better, it’s going to raise [MHCC’s] hip-factor,” said Test.

“I don’t question [ASG’s] sincerity,” said Murph. “It’s what we face all the time, that we have a need for revenue. But we realize we can’t pass the entire cost on to the students.”

For full-time students, the fee – if it is raised to $2.50 – could be anywhere from $12 to $15 per term on top of current charges, depending on how many credits a student carries. Test said the proposed increase equates to foregoing a few mochas and sodas.
“We have a lot of programs that are starting to fail because they don’t have [adequate funding],” Test said.

The ASG budget is funded solely through the student activity fee, currently $1.50 per credit.

“Most revenue generated from the fee increase will affect travel,” said ASG adviser Dick Magruder. ASG’s travel-related expenses – a broad category, Magruder admitted, incorporating inbound and outbound expenses such as hiring of guest speakers or sending the college’s debate team to tournaments – account for nearly 50 percent of their operating budget. And if the fee doesn’t pass, “Obviously we’ll be doing about the same,” he said, “maybe even a little less.” ASG’s proposal didn’t come lightly.

Ultimately, they decided they couldn’t wait any longer to bring program funding up-to-date. “Research shows that it’s hard to afford programs at the current funding level.”
Silverman admitted the fee hasn’t seen an in-step increase compared to some community colleges. “Anybody who hasn’t raised the fee since the mid-1990s probably thinks the fee raise is needed. That’s pretty clear to me,” said Silverman.

Test said the activity fee, once raised, likely wouldn’t jump for at least a decade, and said ASG didn’t want to inflict incremental increases on students.
The senate’s recommendation will go before student services Dean Rob Neilson for evaluation, and then it will land on Silverman’s desk for further review.

“We’ll take [ASG’s recommendation] to the board,” said Silverman. “The students have every right to ask. My only question is, how does [the fee proposal] mesh with the board’s possible need to raise tuition again?”