Local College to Lower Tuition for Three Courses Increase for One

In April of 2024, Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) held its Council on Academic Affairs meetings. As a result of this assembly, the Office of Marketing and Communications announced in May that the school will be looking into adjusting the pricing for certain courses offered to its students. This month, PHSC’s District Board of Trustees (DBOT) will review the proposed changes to course-related fees at its board meeting on June 18.

According to the statement, proposals for fee adjustments are evaluated and eventually approved for the DBOT’s consideration by the state college’s Council of Academic Affairs. This body is “a committee that includes representation by administrators, deans, academic department chairs, program directors, faculty, and staff.”

Three classes have been selected for the possible decreases and one class is recommended to increase in cost. The fees and courses to be considered at the meeting are listed below and can be found online at PHSC’s Policies and Governance page under the Public Disclosure tab at https://policies.phsc.edu/policies-and-procedures/public-disclosure:

NUR 1006L, Fundamentals of Nursing/ADN Transition:
The rationale listed by the website is that the new lab fees relate to “the student skills kits to ensure students receive appropriate lab supplies.”
The special fees have been revised down from $134.00 to $129.00.
The new pricing will go into effect in January 2025.

NUR 1021L, Fundamentals of Nursing:
The reasoning for the singular price increase is identical to the last in that is to make sure that students can be given the proper lab supplies.
This revision calls for a $1.50 rise in costs from $145.00 to $146.50.
The price change for this nursing course is also set to go into effect in January 2025.

NUR 1200L, Adult I/ADN Transition:
The rationale is the same as the previous two courses, with the added caveat that this price adjustment is only for LPN students.
Fees are set for another five dollar decrease from $134.00 to $129.00.
Effective date: January 2025

Revised Courses, Technical Credit – PRN 0000L, Fundamentals of Nursing/PN:
Rationale: the same updating of lab fees as the prior three. This is only for LPN students.
Special fee revision: down from $64.00 to $60.00.
Effective date: January 2025

Despite the slight increase in cost for one class, the total between the four is an overall lessening of the monetary burden on students. Many of the pricing changes “relate to vendor increases for workforce courses, laboratories, and program testing,” the announcement noted. Others could be covered by things such as grants, financial aid, or scholarships. More fee increases and decreases are “expected in the coming academic year.”

This is not a flippant thing, as PHSC considers price increases seriously. As one of the more cost-effective public colleges, the local college prides itself on not having raised tuition for over a decade since the 2012-2013 academic year. Alongside being financially minded, PHSC also looks to empower its students in a number of other ways.

“Pasco-Hernando State College, a comprehensive, learning-centered institution, serves its community by providing affordable, accessible, and diverse educational experiences that empower students to achieve academic success, personal enrichment, and socio-economic advancement,” the announcement stated.