Colleges in Arkansas are raising tuition

EL DORADO, Ark. (KTVE/KARD) — Colleges in the state of Arkansas are raising their tuition. The cost of everything in the world has risen and now colleges must adjust to meet their needs. South Arkansas College has made a change but still are trying to keep the students in mind. KTVE/KARD spoke with Doctor Stephanie Tully-Dartez, who is the President, to find out more information about the change.

Well in general, the cost of everything has gone up as everyone is aware. Education at least at two-year colleges hasn’t seen the same kind of increase over the years that everything else has. We have all been trying to be very conservative about that. But eventually you do have to address the financial concerns and raise tuition.

Stephanie Tully-Dartez

The amount that each college changes will be different. There is not a distinct amount that tuition must rise at. For South Arkansas, the amount is much lower due to them being a two-year college. The difference is also based on whether or not the student is in district or just in state. An in-district student is someone who lives in Union County while an in-state student lives in Arkansas but not in Union County.

So for in district students, it is 4 dollars per credit hour. Which for a full time student, it translates to about 96 dollars a year as compared to last year. For our in-state student who are not living in the district, they had about a 5 dollar increase which translates to about 120 dollars for a full-time student in the academic year 25.

Stephanie Tully-Dartez

Overall, the hope is that students are still able to attend and be successful. Scholarships are out there and are often not used. Applying for scholarships is the best way to help aid the change in tuition. South Arkansas College wants the best for the students and are working hard to ensure they get the best education possible.

We are appreciative that they have come here. And they are doing it to get an education, to change their lives, to change their circumstances. So we are always going to be mindful of that impact. But we have to do what is also best for the students and make sure that they have the resources that they need. So, it’s a balance. That’s our goal. To provide the right thing for the students because that’s what they came here for.

Stephanie Tully-Dartez