Heartland Community College plans to raise the cost of tuition, with a modest increase beginning this summer.
Classes currently cost $182 per credit hour including tuition and fees. The board will vote Tuesday on a measure to raise the per-credit-hour cost by $3—an increase of 1.65%. This follows a recent move imposing incremental changes to tuition year over year, rather than a large, one-time spike in the cost to students. The board approved a 4.6% tuition increase last year. Included in the current proposal is a $1 increase to Heartland’s program development and facilities fee to offset costs associated with expanding the college's athletics programs in 2019.
The measure also includes introducing a tiered price structure for students living outside District 540, which spans sections of McLean, Livingston, Logan and Tazewell counties. According to the proposal, Illinois residents living outside the district will pay twice the in-district rate. Those outside Illinois would see their tuition raised by 2.5 times.
The board is also set to vote on approving nearly $3 million in renovations for campus science labs. Plans include refreshing paint, flooring and audio/visual equipment, and replacing cabinetry to improve accessibility. If approved, renovations will take place in two phases over summer 2024 and 2025.
The Heartland Community College board is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 5 p.m. in the Community Commons Building, Room 2012.
