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Public Relations and Marketing | Published Feb 23, 2021
College of Lake County’s (CLC) Board of Trustees approved the recommendation to maintain current tuition rates and comprehensive fees for students in the 2021-2022 academic year. Students will pay the same tuition and fees as they do during the current academic year. It has been eight years since tuition rates went unchanged.
Additionally, the Board approved recommendations to keep credit course fees for variable classes, including nursing, dental hygiene, massage therapy and theatre, unchanged. These recommendations affirm the college’s commitment to affordability for students as outlined in the strategic plan.
“The decision to hold the line on tuition and fees supports our mission to serve the community with an affordable and equitable education opportunity,” said CLC Board of Trustees Chair Dr. William M. Griffin. “It is crucial we keep providing a quality education that is both affordable and accessible to our students, and it is especially important during this time of urgent need.”
The Board feels strongly about focusing on affordability when the financial instability of the pandemic has a real impact on students. This decision was made to minimize the impact on students at a time when they are already strained by the pandemic.
“This was not an easy choice to make,” said Griffin. “This student-focused decision will require the college to carefully evaluate existing resources and strategically allocate them to deliver a balanced budget. The Board is committed to make the decisions necessary to do the right thing by not placing responsibility on students to pay more.”
Access and success for students is a core pillar of CLC’s strategic plan. Among the college’s highest priorities is improving affordability for students in equitable ways by reducing time to complete credentials, creating cost efficiencies and developing resources to support students. Hundreds of scholarships, including opportunities for free tuition with stipend grants, are available to students who need financial resources. More than $1 million in scholarships were awarded to students last academic year.
Academic curriculum has been developed to ensure students begin their time at CLC with college-credit courses, giving them more confidence to succeed and limiting time spent taking remedial courses. When shifting to an alternative learning delivery model during the pandemic, the college stayed equity focused, loaning students 711 laptops and 206 calculators so they could continue their classes from home. Even more importantly, 438 Wi-Fi hotspots were provided to students at no cost so they could connect to the internet off-campus.
The Board also recently approved a policy change to integrate inclusive access as a strategy for making course materials more affordable to continue the expansion of savings to students. The Lancer Emergency Assistance Fund helps students pay for gas cards, flat tires, childcare and electric bills so they can continue learning at CLC. CLC continues forward progress in designing a student-ready environment that improves their experience and ability to successfully navigate their educational journey with an entirely new onboarding experience, including a New Student Convocation and a College Success Seminar; both are programs that began this spring.
“CLC is committed to building a student-focused culture that removes barriers and provides holistic supports that ensure every student completes their credential,” said CLC President Dr. Lori Suddick.
About College of Lake County:
College of Lake County is a comprehensive community college committed to equitable high-quality education, cultural enrichment and partnerships to advance the diverse communities it serves in northeastern Illinois. Offered at three campuses in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, college classes are affordable and accessible to help each student achieve academic, career and personal goals. More than 70,000 students graduated with degrees and certificates since the college opened in 1969. College of Lake County is the only higher-education institution ranked among the top 15 best places to work in Illinois by Forbes and is a national leader in many areas, including sustainability and conservation.