Atlantic Cape OKs Tuition, Fee Hikes, Budget Approved

ATLANTIC CITY — Atlantic Cape Community College’s Board of Trustees adopted a $41-million FY’16 revenue budget and voted to increase tuition and some fees to support the fiscal plan March 24. The group met at the Charles D. Worthington Atlantic City Campus.
The FY-16 budget, a decrease of $100,000 over the previous year’s budget, includes $8,407,171 in county appropriations contingent upon approval by the Atlantic Cape Community College Board of School Estimate, a group composed of college and Atlantic and Cape May County officials.
The state will contribute a projected $5.5 million in operating aid. Support from the counties for the college’s fiscal year and state operating aid remained the same for FY’16.
General tuition will rise to $116 a credit from $113, a 2.65 percent increase. The average increase in tuition rates for general, culinary arts and online tuition is 2.8 percent. The new tuition and fee schedule begins with the 2015 summer session.
Mandatory fees (general, activity and facilities) will increase an average of 3.1 percent, bringing the total general per credit cost to $142.20 from $138.40 in FY’15. A student taking 24 general credits a year–Atlantic Cape’s typical student–will see a $91.20 a year increase for a total of $3,412.80, up from $3,321.60 in FY-15.
Treasurer Maria Mento said the new tuition and fee schedule provides the college the necessary revenue to meet its budgetary requirements and that “Atlantic Cape’s tuition and fee ranking in the sector is expected to remain in the lower third.”
The budget approved is down slightly from last year’s fiscal plan and includes an $835,120 fund balance transfer. It projects a 30-percent increase in nursing credits and a 4-percent decline in credit enrollments due to changing demographics in the college’s service district.
President’s Report:
Dr. Peter Mora spoke about attending Student Lobbying Day in Trenton with Board of Trustees Alumni representative Briar Gibbons; Interim Dean, Resource Development and President/Board of Trustees Operations Jean McAlister; Atlantic Cape Counselor Hal Lugerner and three Atlantic Cape students.
The purpose of the event was to increase awareness of legislators of the role the 19 community colleges play in enhancing access to high quality, affordable higher education for underserved populations. Each member of the team met with assemblymen and senators, and the students were able to tell their story of how attending Atlantic Cape has benefited them.
According to Mora, “We made sure that our students’ stories were told to the legislature so they could put a face to the numbers. They can see we have people here that need their services.” Student Lobbying Day was coordinated by the New Jersey Council of Community Colleges, whose mission is to provide statewide leadership and coordinate efforts for the advancement of the nineteen community colleges of New Jersey.
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held at 7 p.m., April 28, at the Mays Landing Campus. All are welcome to attend.