After the recent decision in favor for a mid-year tuition increase for community college students, the California Legislature has chosen to delay the fee increase until summer 2012.

The California Community College Chancellor’s Office issued a media statement of CCC Chancellor, Jack Scott, praising the legislature’s decision. According to Scott, an increase of $46 a unit was originally proposed for the spring 2012 semester, yet many were deterred by the short notice it delivered to students and staff. Scott also mentioned in the statement that by moving the fee increase it provides students adequate time to prepare.

Cosumnes River College Public Information Officer Kristie West also shared Scott’s attitudes towards the delay.

“It’s beneficial because moving it to the summer doesn’t disrupt students right in the middle of a school year,” West said. “If the legislature would have kept the fee increase in January, as it was originally intended, it would have meant the college would have had to send a bill to each student asking them for additional monies that they would have owed. That would have been a hassle for the college and the students.”

Richard Gould, a 21-year-old English major, is relieved about the delay, adding it would give him more time to save up for fall 2012 registration.

“If they started charging more next semester then I probably wouldn’t have been able to come back to school,” Gould said. “I need more than a few weeks to save up my money.”

Although while many are comforted by the idea of a tuition increase in the summer, some students are more concerned about the amount of money they are spending.

“I don’t understand why people are so happy about the delay,” said 32-year-old psychology major Mikayla Hughes. “It just means public education is getting more expensive and it doesn’t seem too long ago when we had another tuition increase.”

The CCC Chancellor’s Office media statement said with the increase to $46 a unit, it would be a 77% increase in student fees within a 1 year period. Also, the Los Rios Community College District website shows that in spring 2009 students used to pay $20 per credit unit.

“I can imagine students will not be happy about another increase and I don’t blame them,” West said. “It’s more important than ever to make sure students set themselves on a path that will allow them to finish their studies as quickly as possible if affordability is a concern to them.”