John Wood Community College increasing tuition

QUINCY (WGEM) - John Wood Community College is raising it’s tuition costs for the firs time in five years.

School officials say it was a difficult decision to make but the increase of $7 per credit hour will take affect at the beginning of the fall semester.

Admissions dean Tracy Orne said it’s a response to declining enrollment as they’re seeing fewer people enrolling due to coronavirus concerns and a desire for stability.

She said they have been working to encourage students that put off their education to come back, but it’s been difficult.

Orne said they’ve applied for grants that would help them get students back into their classroom.

“It could be scholarships, it could be tutoring, could be wrap around services. We’ve used a lot of our funds for transportation reimbursement. We’ve also focused on mental health. We’ve been through a lot in the last two years, students, faculty, staff, alike,” she said.

Orne said they’ve applied for a state grant worth $220,000 as well as a federal grant. She said if they don’t get any money, they would still work to reengage students. She said they are still waiting to hear when and if they’ll get the grants.

Orne said they discussed the tuition hike with their students and they understood the reasoning.

Freshman Katharine Miller is studying elementary education and is the president of the student government association. She said members of the student government were informed of the tuition hike.

She says she likes JWCC because it’s supportive and the teachers have been good at teaching both in person and online and the tuition hike isn’t enough to deter her from pursuing her degree.

“And the general consensus after even discussion was, you know, it’s not that big of an increase, especially considering all of the other tuitions around the region or county,” Miller said.

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