Tuition and Fees

 

Purpose

It is the intent of the Board of Education that tuition rates and fees be established to sustain excellence in academic programs and services balanced with the impact on the opportunity for students to access and complete their education.

 

Statement

Principles Guiding Tuition Decisions

• The college shall provide programs and activities of high quality, through adequate funding for the instructional, instructional support, student services, and student activity programs that contribute to student success and completion.
• Tuition shall be examined annually by the board during the budget development process. Consideration shall be given to timing of board decisions on tuition rate changes to provide adequate notice to students to inform their financial planning.
• Student participation is expected in the annual review of tuition and fees.
• Students will be classified for tuition purposes as one of the following residency classifications: a) in-state resident; b) out-of-state resident; c) international student.
• The college will be mindful of our market in determining tuition rates by reviewing tuition rates at other Oregon community colleges and local economic trends impacting our citizens.
• Regular incremental changes are preferred over large increases.
• Student tuition shall be set at the lowest responsible level consistent with the necessary resources for providing high quality academic programs and services.

Establishing the Credit Tuition Rate

State support, local property taxes, and tuition are the three most significant sources of revenue to support the college mission and strategic plan. Tuition is the only significant source of revenue under the direct control of the board.

Taking into consideration all revenue sources, the board will annually review the amount of tuition revenue required to:

1. Provide sufficient revenue to meet the Essential Budget Level (EBL) required for college operations to meet annual fiscal requirements. The growth in the EBL will be evaluated against appropriate economic indices.
2. Fund the costs of new initiatives that are focused on meeting the strategic goals the board has established for the college.

Non-Standard Tuition Rates

The college charges a tuition rate other than the standard in-state rate when additional expenses are incurred to provide programs and services.

1. Out-Of-State Tuition
   The college shall establish a tuition rate for students considered to be residents of other states in order to supplement the state reimbursement not paid to the college for these enrollments.
2. International Student Tuition
   International students add to the quality of the LBCC educational experience by adding new perspectives to our campus and local community. The tuition charged international students is to:
   1. Supplement the amount of state reimbursement not paid to the college for the enrollments of international students.
   2. Support the additional institutional expenses, including but not limited to supplemental language instruction and immigration compliance.
3. Cost Recovery
   A cost recovery revenue model may be authorized by the president when the college establishes a business - or industry - requested certificate program to meet clear, job market needs and the expense of the program is significantly higher than what tuition or differential tuition will cover, or in establishing a program that requires market-driven pricing. Consideration shall be given to students’ potential earnings upon completion of their program of study when determining the price of the program.
4. Differential Tuition
   LBCC’s diversity and quality of course offerings result in classes having a range of expenses. Differential tuition allows the college to recover a greater proportion of the expenses for high-cost classes. Differential tuition creates the capacity for programs to offer additional sections of high-expense classes when demand exceeds capacity. Differential tuition is the in-state tuition rate plus 21% assessed on a per credit basis. 

Establishing Student Fees

Fees charged to students are to be adequate to meet the intended use. Staff will be mindful of the fees charged at other institutions. When establishing fees or changing the rate, the administration shall ensure that staff and students affected are sufficiently involved in the decision-making process.

1. General Student Fees
   General student fees are assessed to all students enrolling in credit courses. General student fees are recommended by the president and approved by the Board. These fees may be charged on a per credit or per student basis.
2. Program Fees
   The president may authorize the establishment of a program fee when an academic program is offered under general tuition rates, including any differential tuition, and costs of offering that specific program remain prohibitive.
3. Non-Credit Course Fees
   Non-Credit courses derive their revenues from fees rather than tuition. The president has the authority to authorize the establishment of fees for non-credit courses. In considering non-credit course fees, the college will be sensitive to market forces, demographics, and a goal of a net revenue-neutral program.
4. Service Fees
   The president may approve fees to be charged for services. Service fees are to recover the cost of the service and/or related supplies.

Reduced Tuition or Waiver of Tuition

It shall be the policy of the LBCC Board of Education to allow the college president the authority to reduce or waive tuition as required by statute, contract, or to meet a compelling community need.

The waivers described below are offered to designated community members to meet a compelling community need and in accordance with Oregon statute: 

1. Oregon 65+ Tuition Waiver
   The board has adopted a policy that complies with the legislated program for Oregon residents 65 or older.
2. Oregon Foster Youth Tuition and Fee Waiver
   Foster youth who are deemed eligible will have tuition and fees waived after federal, state, and any other grant or scholarship aid is applied to the student’s bill. The waiver will be applied to fees described in the supporting legislation.

 

 

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