C of C tuition to go up $1,326
COLUMBIA -- College of Charleston students will have to come up with about $100 more per month to cover the cost of tuition next year.
The school's Board of Trustees at a meeting Monday approved a $1,326 increase for the 2010-11 school year for in-state and out-of-state undergraduates.
That represents a jump of nearly 15 percent for South Carolina residents. In-state students paid $8,988 in the 2009-10 school year but will have to pay $10,314 next year.
Out-of-state students paid $21,846 in the 2009-2010 school year. But they will pay $23,172 next year, which represents a 6 percent increase.
The nearly 15 percent jump for in-state students annually comes at a time when many South Carolina families are struggling financially. But College of Charleston President George Benson said he thinks that students and parents will understand that the school had to increase tuition to compensate for cuts in state funding and to allow the college to move forward with its strategic plan.
"Without this, the college would fall backward toward mediocrity," he said.
Benson also said that his job is to continue improving the college. That increases the value of a College of Charleston degree for all alumni, he said.
Trustee John Busch proposed raising in-state rates 9.9 percent and out-of-state rates 6.5 percent. "I'm concerned that South Carolinians are financially strapped," he said. But other board members didn't support his proposal.
Steve Osborne, the college's executive vice president for business affairs, said that if the college raised out-of-state rates more than 6 percent, it would attract fewer students from outside South Carolina.
College leaders have said they try to maintain a student body where 65 percent of students come from South Carolina and 35 percent come from other states. The freshman class, however, usually has a higher percentage of out-of-state students.
While the College of Charleston approved the 14.75 percent increase, leaders at some of the state's other public colleges and universities are holding down tuition increases. The Citadel estimated that tuition would increase 7.3 percent for in-state students next year, but the military college won't decide on a final rate until later this month. South Carolina State University's board approved a 5.7 percent increase, and Coastal Carolina University approved a jump of 4.91 percent.
The University of South Carolina and Clemson University haven't yet made tuition decisions for the 2010-11 school year.
Osborne said the increased tuition at the College of Charleston would bring in about $12.5 million. About $6.7 million of that will go toward compensating for cuts in state funding; $3 million toward financial aid; and the remaining $2.8 million will go toward projects in the new strategic plan.
School leaders said they lost more than $16 million in state support over the past two years. In addition to tuition increases, they have compensated for state cuts by reducing college operating budgets, not filling vacant positions and using reserve funds.
Benson said school leaders considered students and parents before proposing the $1,326 increases to the Board of Trustees. The school simply needs more money to function, he said. "We're trying to keep it affordable."
Tuition increase for state residents for 2010-11:
School / Annual tuition / Increase
College of Charleston / $10,314 / 14.8 percent
The Citadel / $9,370 / 7.3 percent*
South Carolina State / $8,946 / 5.7 percent
Coastal Carolina / $9,390 / 4.9 percent
* Estimated
