The Community College of Allegheny County will not raise its tuition rates for the 2012-2013 academic year.
CCAC President Alex Johnson said it seemed as though the college would have to raise tuition earlier in this budget year, when both Allegheny County and the state government threatened to cut the school's funding.
However, those proposed cuts were avoided in budget negotiations. Now, Johnson said the college can keep tuition flat while buying new equipment, making needed repairs, and hiring new faculty members.
He said the flat government funding levels combined with CCAC's recent cost-cutting measures have given the school a little breathing room.
"The elimination of our downtown center saved us approximately $500,000 a year," said Johnson. "We froze faculty and staff positions, which allowed some savings as well."
Johnson said the school has plans to hire eighteen new faculty members, but some administrative positions will be left unfilled.
"There's still certainly some volatility with respect to government funding," said Johnson. "It's important for an institution our size to plan ahead, and therefore we will continue to watch our spending."
CCAC's roughly $109 million budget for the 2012-2013 academic year includes about $56 million in government subsidies from the county and the state. Johnson said the remainder of the budget is comprised of student tuition and fees.
