Henry Ford Students Disappointed Over Increased Tuition Fees

Students at Henry Ford Community College expressed discontent over the college's announcement this month that it would increase tuition beginning for the spring 2013-14 academic semester.

"It's frustrating for the students," Randall Nicholls said. "We come to a community college so that we don't have to pay ridiculous amounts of money."

HFCC President Gail Mee said raising tuition fees will help balance the college's budget, which is projected to be a deficit of $3 million, and will be around $7.5 million in December.

Mee said that number may change once officials finalize the budget for the 2014 school year.

The increase for district residents will jump from $75 to $82 per credit hour. The increase will also affect non-residents and out-of-state students, who can expect to see their costs go from $135 to $142 and $140 to $147 per credit hour, respectively, once classes resume on May 7.

Mee said the decision to raise tuition is difficult but necessary for the school to offset its operating costs.

"The college is receiving less in property tax revenue than in the past and enrollments are beginning to decline. State aid has increased minimally although HFCC is educating thousands more students overall. Meanwhile, costs for personnel such as health care have gone up," she said. "The college is looking at cost reduction strategies to align expenditures with revenues."

HFCC student Mikaylah Heffernan said she feels the college is balancing its recent renovation projects on the backs of its students.

"They just built a new building. There is a new pond outside. They've completely redone landscaping. Where did the money come from? Where did the excess go?"

Fellow student London Johnson agreed, stating, "It's not cool at all. Flowers aren't doing anything. Are you willing to sacrifice students' education for beauty? It's not Henry Ford University. Students come here for low tuition."

The tuition increase was approved by the HFCC Board of Trustees in February and is estimated to bring in roughly $2 million in revenue to the college. In addition to tuition, the college generates its revenue from a combination of state funding and property taxes.

HFCC Board President Pamela Adams said the board is working with an outside firm to analyze the college's deficit.

"We want to have another set of eyes look at the budget data and verify if the information we're receiving is accurate, and if it's not, tell us what is the correct information," she said.

Adams said the board will hear a report on the state of the college's finances at its May 20 meeting. HFCC's budget office is currently drafting a budget based on the "worst case scenario," she said.

An HFCC faculty member speaking on the condition of anonymity, said he would like to see incoming college President Stan Jensen address concerns about HFCC's deficit.

"The students have questions," the faculty member said. "Good questions that quite frankly we don't have answers to. They ask why the campus looks nicer, but open lab hours are cut. They want to know why they have less work-study hours and more tuition.

"They've noticed changes in administration and they suspect money mismanagement or even something criminal. But the instructors don't fully know (what's going on), and the administration certainly isn't explaining anything to the press."

Mee said the Board of Trustees is considering bringing a millage proposal before voters in November, but no decision has been finalized.