Derr sees tuition increase in MHCC’s near future

Looking at estimates of flat or slightly sinking student enrollment totals, MHCC may soon ask students to pay higher tuition rates to help solve its budget gap.

Although no tuition increase is has been proposed or adopted by the Mt. Hood District board, President Debbie Derr said she believes a $2 per-credit hour increase might necessary for the 2014-15 academic year.

She said that is the number her administrative team is using for budget projections.

“I did mandate a 2 percent across-the-board (spending) reduction for this year and we’ve achieved that goal,” Derr said. “But as we look at the preliminary numbers for next year, we’re looking at a $757,000 deficit. We’re going to have to determine how we’re going to approach that.”

Institutional research experts are working with the executive dean of student development and examining the factors that affect enrollment and making projections said Derr.

At the board planning retreat held Feb. 17, members were “very vocal” about not raising tuition rates, she said. She said the board’s “No. 1 priority” that she heard was ‘affordable, affordable, affordable.’

“I think in their hopes, (current rates) would be maintained,” she said. “My goal is to have it be predictable and be based in the higher education price index, so that it’s really tied to the price of running the college.

“I believe that you have to look at tuition long-term, and that students and families have to be able to predict what will happen to tuition,” she said.

Derr said MHCC is not currently looking at raising any other fees.

She said she hopes the MHCC Foundation can play a roll in making more scholarship money available to students “so they don’t have to take out those loans.”