Maricopa Community Colleges Consider $1/Credit Tuition Decrease, Adjunct Salary Increase

By Casey Kuhn
Published: Friday, April 13, 2018 - 4:07pm
Updated: Friday, April 13, 2018 - 4:57pm
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The country’s largest community college district is considering a slight tuition decrease.

A budget proposal for the Maricopa County Community College District would lower tuition by $1 per credit hour.

“Which doesn't sound like much, [but] if you’re taking 30 credit hours during the typical year, which many students do, that’s a $30 benefit,” he said.

Elliott Hibbs, the district’s chief operating officer, said the goal is to keep students happy.

“We value them greatly, so we want to send a message to encourage them to stay with our colleges here,” Hibbs said.

The budget proposal also includes a one-time, $750 stipend for full-time staff, and a permanent pay increase from $872 to $925 per credit hour taught for adjunct faculty. Hibbs says that would help the colleges have competitive wages.

That money would come from an untouched endowment fund for medical insurance which would move about $30 million into the general fund.

The governing board still has to discuss and approve the plan.

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