Mississippi’s 15 community colleges are raising tuition and eliminating jobs for the upcoming school year to close budget gaps, the Associated Press reports.
Tuition will increase an average of 13 percent, bringing average tuition and fees to $3,104 annually, up from $2,748 this year. Approximately 250 jobs will be cut, and five schools are dropping at least one intercollegiate sport, according to AP.
Schools began the current budget year with $265 million in state funding but will start next year with $237 million.
Eighty-one people will be laid off, 122 jobs will be eliminated after employees leave the positions and 35 student jobs will be eliminated, Community College Board Executive Director Andrea Mayfield said in a statement.
Community colleges will drop a total of 11 sports, according to board spokesman Kell Smith, mostly soccer, golf and tennis for men and women.
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