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While students were out of school and on their summer break, California’s Legislature increased tuition fees for all community colleges from $20 a unit to $26 per unit.Although community colleges across California tried to postpone the fee increase until the next semester, the state wouldn’t do it, according to Stuart Wilcox, Asst. Director of Admissions and Records. As a result, PCC owed the state an estimated $1.1 million from 18, 037 students who had already registered and played for tuition at $20 per unit.

“This is the second time in 20 years where they’ve changed the fees during a registration cycle and all community colleges were complaining about the same thing: don’t change the fees once we start registration,” said Wilcox.

Weeks before school started, about 8,900 students who owed the extra $6 per unit were contacted via email. The following week students were contacted through pre-recorded phone calls and around campus signs have been posted informing students about the change.

While some students knew about the possible tuition fee increase, others found out after they paid.

“I didn’t even hear [the tuition fee] was going up. I just went online and saw ‘fee due’,” said Sonia Somma, 23, who tried to add a class online and was not able to do so, unless she paid the money she owed first.

“I was shocked that I had a balance, because as far as I know I had paid everything,” she said.

Even though students cannot get dropped from classes for not paying the fee, they will not be able to access other PCC services.

“It’ll interfere with your services at the college, which means that because of that debt, if [students] want to order transcripts it’ll come up and say you owe the debt you got to pay it. If they go to try to add or drop classes, it comes up and says you owe this debt,” explained Wilcox.

Students who have financial aid don’t have to pay the extra fee because it is covered, but the rest of the students are held responsible for their dues.

“I am kind of struggling to pay for it, but it was a shock because I already don’t have enough money,” said Somma.

“It’s upsetting for people, like myself, who don’t have very much money,” said Triana Ducre, 20, child development. “How is someone supposed to get a better education?”

As of Aug. 26, financial aid waived 7,981 students who owed the extra fee. Another 3,829 students have paid their fees, but a remaining 6,159 students have not paid, leaving PCC in a $347, 031.80 debt, PCC officials said.

“The state sends the college money that funds it. The state is going to look at our tuition and they’re going to withhold the tuition fee that we should have collected and should have been paid by the students. If the student doesn’t pay the college, Sacramento is still getting their money because they’re going to withhold the money. If the student doesn’t pay who gets hurt is PCC, but there’s no benefit to PCC of that money,” explained Wilcox.

“My advice for students would be: you may not like it, but it’d be better in the long run if [you] pay the fee early. If [students] delay in paying the fee, they’re just going to get annoyed,” he added.

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