The presidents of both higher education institutions in Pueblo welcome the fact that tuition will not increase for the 2019-2020 academic year in Colorado.

It’s a direct result of the Colorado State Legislature recently approving $120 million in higher education funding. Gov. Jared Polis mandated a one-year tuition freeze for resident undergraduate students of state colleges when he increased higher education funding in Colorado's budget.

“With access and affordability at the heart of our role and mission, I am so pleased that PCC students will see no tuition increase this academic year," Pueblo Community College President Patty Erjavec said Monday.

"We look forward to embracing as many individuals as possible who are looking to increase their quality of life through higher education.”

Some students in the Colorado State University System also won't see a tuition increase.

The system's Board of Governors approved 2019-20 tuition rates earlier this month that will freeze tuition for resident undergraduates at CSU-Pueblo and CSU-Fort Collins as well as all students at the online-only CSU-Global.

The increase freeze means CSU-Pueblo undergraduate tuition will remain at $6,349 for the coming year. This is based on a course load of 12 credit hours. This ranks below in-state tuition rates at peer institutions such as Washburn University, University of Tennessee-Martin, and University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

“We are thankful for the strong support of the CSU Board of Governors. We are also pleased that the General Assembly has invested in higher education to keep the cost of attendance low, which aligns with the Vision 2028 values of “inclusion, access, and affordability as a gateway to the world," said CSU-Pueblo President Tim Mottet.

It also was announced Monday that the 13 college foundations and the Foundation for Colorado Community Colleges will award nearly $6.5 million in scholarships to approximately 4,000 students to achieve their higher education goals within the community college system.

“We applaud the commitment to higher education shown by Gov. Polis and Legislature and will match that commitment by continuing to provide the most affordable option for quality higher education in the state,” said Colorado Community College System Chancellor Joe Garcia.

“This commitment is furthered by our ongoing dedication to not only increasing access to higher education, but ensuring our students succeed in achieving the higher education goals they have set for themselves within our system.”

Heading into the next year, the system also will continue to prioritize Open Educational Resources that allow students to access educational content online for little to no-cost. This summer marks the launch of two new Z-Degrees, or Zero Textbook Degrees, through CCCOnline, resulting in full degree options that do not require the purchase of a textbook and instead leverage low or no-cost materials to support coursework.

“The cost of textbooks is an ongoing issue for our students,” Garcia said.

“We are committed to affordability and that means removing one of the greatest financial barriers to higher education. These degrees will offer yet another affordable pathway for our students to succeed.”

amestas@chieftain.com

Twitter: @mestas3517