Board Approves Tuition Increase, No Hike in Student Activities Fee

As Spring Term has begun, the college’s budget cycle for the 2024-25 school year is in full swing.

Administrators unveiled their proposed budget during the March 20 MHCC District Board of Education meeting, which included at least one surprise.

Their plan includes a tuition increase of 1.6 % – which translates to $2 per-credit hour increase for in-state tuition, and $4 per-credit hour for out-of-state or international students.

Jennifer DeMent, budget chief for Mt. Hood, told the board that in the past tuition increases have occurred after a period of maintaining a consistent rate and then tuition increases needed to be larger. Instead, as the proposed budget would direct, “Doing these slow and steady smaller incremental increases … makes things more predictable for students,” she said. 

As far as predictable: The proposed budget does not include any increase in Mt. Hood’s student activity fees, despite prior indication there would be a per-credit hour increase of up to $0.25 for next school year. 

The Associated Students of Mt. Hood Community College (student body government) decided to oppose any increase at this time, the Board was told. 

In other significant action, Board members voted to approve the new, long-sought contract agreement reached with the Full-Time Faculty Association. Board Chair Andrew Speer said of the agreement, “It’s only though compromise that we’re able to maintain financial stability. And, so it was good to see there be compromise by both sides in order to achieve that.”

Lindsey Mansfield, representing the Classified Association (nonteaching employees), praised the work done by classified staff on helping to complete the Mt. Hood website overhaul, and said negotiations are ongoing for a new Classified Association contract. She urged the board to approve a new contract before the current one expires on June 30.

Marilyn Pitts, who represents Mt. Hood’s Part-Time Faculty Association, likewise pushed the board to conclude negotiations before that group’s current contract ends.

In other action, the Board heard a first reading of proposed minor changes to the Head Start Program’s selection criteria, a childcare program located on the Gresham campus designed to help low-income and in-need families with access to childcare. Representing Head Start, Hilda Pena-Alfaro said the organization’s changes “gave more points to children who are 3 years old because what we have seen is there is a lot of services available for children 4-to-5 years old, so we are giving preference to children that are younger.”

Some structural adjustments were made to better coordinate logistics and lower costs for Head Start. This was done by centralizing purchasing and changing warehouses. 

The Board also approved proposed sabbaticals for 2024-25 for six full-time faculty members. Dan Davey, from the Music department, will be creating a new pieces of music inspired from the tutelage of other musicians. Mathematics instructors Tambi Boyle and Gina Shankland plan to learn about how My Open Math (MOM) could be added into MHCC’s math curriculum and integrate the learning software into Blackboard.

Daina Hardisty, who teaches geology, plans to create video field trips to improve accessibility and potentially create low credit classes. Aylin Bunk from Adult Basic Skills intends to do a literature review about the potential uses of AI in helping with language acquisition and potentially policy recommendations for AI’s use at the college.

Finally, Daryl Harrison-Carson, from the Performing Arts department, plans to learn about updating the college’s theatre lighting technology and to bring a more broad and diverse set of playwrights to be taught in its theatre history classes.