OCC board approves a 3 percent increase in full-time tuition

ONONDAGA — The Onondaga Community College (OCC) board of trustees today approved a three-percent increase in the school’s tuition for full-time students.

The tuition hike is part of the college’s 2013-14 operating budget. The budget raises annual tuition by $122 to $4,172. The spending plan also calls for a $3 increase in tuition per credit hour for part-time students to $164, the school said in a news release.

The board of trustees approved a budget that totals $78.2 million, representing a less than one percent increase, the school said.

It was a budget process that was “focused and diligent” in a year when community-college enrollment statewide is a “challenge” due to demographic changes, Allen Naples, chair of the OCC board of trustees, said in a news release.

A combination of state aid, local-government sponsor support, and student tuition and fees funds the OCC budget, the college said.

The state of New York increased its support by $150 per full-time equivalent student, or nearly seven percent, to $2,422 per student.

In addition, OCC is requesting a three-percent increase in support from its local sponsor, Onondaga County, equating to more than $279,000. That would bring the county’s total annual contribution to $9.6 million.

The Onondaga County Legislature will consider the request at its July 2 meeting. The State University of New York must also approve the budget.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com