Tuition for community colleges going up 12 percent

The Washington State Board for Community and Technical colleges voted Thursday to raise tuition by an average of 12 percent next year. That's the maximum the Legislature allowed in the state budget.

Tuition will go from $3,100 a year for a full time student to about $3,500, which is a 13 percent increase. Part-time students will see their tuition go up 11 percent.

Board members say they were reluctant to stick students with such an increase. But they maintain the additional tuition dollars won't be enough to make up for a state budget cut of $77.4 million for the next fiscal year.

In another financial move, the board also approved new limits on how many college credits high school students can take without paying tuition. But the board tabled a proposal to declare a financial emergency, which would have allowed given colleges more freedom to lay off instructors. That proposal was strongly opposed by faculty unions.