ECC, NCCC tuition rising

Students at community colleges in the region will feel their wallets get a little lighter next year.

Erie Community College will increase tuition for full-time students in the 2008-2009 year by $200 per academic year; while Niagara County Community College students will see an increase of $120.

The changes were finalized along with approvals of the operating budgets by each college's board of trustees.

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At ECC, trustees approved an operating budget of $93.3 million at its April 30 meeting, with full-time tuition rising to $3,187 per academic year and part time costs of $133 per credit hour. Last year, the college held the line on tuition, the only community college statewide to not increase tuition.

College officials said in a prepared release the increases were forced by a lack of increase in state aid and no anticipated increase in sponsor support from Erie County. If county aid is increased, the tuition increase will be adjusted.

NCCC trustees adopted a $44.1 million spending plan for the 2008-09 school year at its April 23 meeting, an increase of 5.9 percent over this year's budget. Students will pay full-time tuition of $3,312 per year, an increase of 3.7 percent. Part-time students will pay $138 per credit hour, an increase of $5.

The college has requested $9.048 million from Niagara County, a 2 percent increase in aid. The state's enrollment formula calls for NCCC to receive $12.585 million in the 2008-2009 budget, an increase of 6.4 percent in state aid.

Both college budgets and fee and tuition increases must be approved by the SUNY Trustees once they are approved by their respective county legislatures. ECC's budget will also need approval by the Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority.