Rumor had it that there would be a 30 percent tuition increase for all students next year. This would be a high increase in tuition.

“Tuition is not going to increase the fall quarter of 2013,” Vice President of SFCC, Darren Pitcher, said.

Even though tuition is not raising, the college is in the process of raising Service and Activity fees. There are many things that the S&A fees cover for students.

“This money supports clubs, sports, new technology, new buildings, bus passes for students, work study, et cetera,” Heather Mckenzie Waite, Director of Student Funded Programs at SFCC said.

The list keeps going since many services and activities need money. In order to keep the ball rolling there has to be enough funding for all of these things. One thing that is on the mind of the people on the board is voting for the students. If they don’t make an increase in the Service and Activity fees, clubs, sports teams, improvements in technology and other resources for students may be limited.

“For example, Choral Club will be limited to where the travel and athletics will take a major deficit,” Club representative, Rockford Radke said

Radke said that the schools have made an effort to maintain a three percent increase.

“In years past a three percent increase is what we shoot for keeping the students’ best interest in mind, this is the minimum,” Radke said.

What effect could this have on number of students that attend SFCC, SCC, or I.E.L?

“A major domino effect. Students that are here on scholarship may lose some of it and could easily transfer,” Radke said. On March ninth there was an ASG meeting where the main topic was Service and Activity fees. The student governments of SCC, SFCC and I.E.L were in attendance and represented by three students, a faculty member and an administrator.

“I.E.L and SCC proposed a zero to three percent increase in Service and Activity fees and we (SFCC) proposed a 10 to 15 percent increase,” Associated Student Lecture Programmer Alicia Villa said.

With a 10 to 15 percent increase this would put SFCC and the other colleges in a position of security in the sense that clubs wouldn’t suffer many budget cuts.

This was voted on and the governments came to an agreement at a 7.5 percent increase. This cuts the Service and Activity fees from $893,000 to $843,100 which is a $49,900 deficit.

It is now up to the Board of Trustees to determine a final decision on the budget.