Del Mar College approves $2-per-credit tuition increase
Del Mar College is set to raise tuition by $2 per semester credit hour starting fall 2024.
The Del Mar College Board of Regents discussed the in-district tuition increase Tuesday afternoon, deciding on a $2 increase with a 6-3 vote.
Tuition for residents of the Del Mar College district will be set at $75 per credit for the 2024-25 school year, up from $73 this year. This change applies specifically to credit courses and will not impact non-credit continuing education courses.
For a part-time student taking only seven credit hours, this would raise the cost of attendance by $14 for one semester from $848 to $862 when tuition and fees are taken into account. The college charges general use, building use, matriculation, instructional and student services fees.
Staff told regents that many students will not see any financial impact.
Through the Financial Aid for Swift Transfer program, Del Mar College offers dual credit courses to educationally disadvantaged high school students at no cost. The college has also eliminated dual credit costs for students who do not qualify for the FAST program.
Over half of Del Mar College's non-dual credit students receive federal student aid through the Pell Grant program, which often covers the full cost of attending Del Mar College.
About 70% of students, not counting dual credit students, receive some form of financial aid.
Student Sofia Jimenez, who serves as president of the college's student government association, was asked to give a student's perspective on the tuition increase before the board voted.
Jimenez said that she sought opinions from fellow students.
"Some students were very understanding of it and kind of expected it in some way," Jimenez said. "Other students were more concerned."
Jimenez shared concerns about how the increase would impact students who do not qualify for financial aid.
This concern was also voiced by several regents, including regents Laurie Turner and William Kelly.
The $2 increase is in line with previous changes to tuition costs at Del Mar College, but lower than the $3 increase recommended to the board by college leadership.
Last year, the regents approved a similar $2 increase. Tuition was also increased in 2022 and 2020.
The regents will not approve the college's fiscal year 2025 budget until August.
According to the presentation Tuesday, about 11% of the college's operating funds came from tuition and fees in 2023. The majority, 65%, came from property taxes, while the state also contributed a quarter of the operating funds.
Del Mar College president Mark Escamilla characterized the tuition increase as "conservative," explaining that the college is facing uncertainty related to other sources of revenue in the coming year.
The college does not yet know how much to expect in state appropriations next year, Escamilla said. Property revenues are also uncertain as two large property owners have disputed property values determined by the Nueces County Appraisal District, potentially impacting the college's budget by millions of dollars.
"We're being as conservative as possible as we move forward," Escamilla said.
Escamilla said the $3 increase was proposed to balance revenue sources.
"Right now, we're out of equilibrium and in order to move ahead with greater certainty a $3 is on the table for recommendation, consideration because of those pressures," Escamilla said.
Regents Kelly, Turner, Carl Croll, Anantha Babbili, Nicholas Adame and Rudy Garza, Jr. voted in favor of the lower $2 increase.
Regents Carol Scott, Libby Averyt and David Loeb voted in opposition.
"I think we've got to try and keep up otherwise we're going to start having problems with quality and capability," Loeb said, expressing a preference for the higher rate.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Here's how Del Mar College tuition will change next year
