GCC approves $25 tuition increase for 2015-16

Staff Reports Posted 18 May 2015 at 12:00 am

BATAVIA – Full-time Genesee Community College students will pay $25 more in tuition in the 2015-16 college academic year, an increase from $1,925 per semester to $1,950. The entire academic year will cost $3,900 in tuition.

“As compared to the proposed tuition increases that we are aware of from peer institutions, this modest increase maintains Genesee’s competitive position as one of the most affordable higher education options available among SUNY’s 30 community colleges,” GCC President James Sunser said. “It is a carefully-constructed, ‘hold the line’ budget, providing for inflationary cost increases while maintaining the quality of our academic programs.”

The tuition increase is part of GCC’s $39,927,000 budget for the 2015-2016 academic year. The budget is up from last year’s $38.7 million budget.

The new budget, which covers the fiscal year beginning Sept. 1, will be reviewed by Genesee County Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee prior to its submission to the Genesee County Legislature.

Other highlights of the budget include:

GCC is adding a new online learning fee of $10 per credit hour for courses that are taught fully online. The revenue from the online learning fee will be reinvested to fund the enrollment growth and enhancements to online learning programs and courses.

College staffing will be maintained at current levels adding no new positions.

Assumes New York State “base aid” at $2,597 per full-time-equivalent student. This is a $100 increase over the New York State 2014-2015 budget, but remains below the state aid of $2,675 the college received six years ago.

The New York State budget also included support for GCC’s capital projects, the construction of the College and Community Events Center and the Student Success Center. These projects are designed to transform the campus by supporting the GCC’s academic mission and vision by promoting student success, partnering with the community and maintaining facilities in a cost-effective manner, GCC officials said in a news release.