The Ohio Department of Higher Education has approved the continuation of Clark State Community College’s Tuition Challenge Program for another academic year. The program waives standard tuition rates to students who complete 12 or more credit hours in a semester, achieve a grade of C or better in each course and enroll in the successive semester for 12 or more credit hours.
Clark State’s Tuition Challenge Program offers a five percent tuition reduction to students enrolled in a minimum of 12 course credit hours and a ten percent tuition reduction to students enrolled in 15 or more course credit hours and meeting eligibility requirements.
“Clark State is committed to ensuring the affordability of our programs,” said Clark State President Dr. Jo Alice Blondin. “We are also focusing on graduation and completion, so this program is a logical incentive to achieve both goals.”
The Tuition Challenge Program started last fall after being approved by the Clark State Board of Trustees and the Ohio Department of Higher Education (formerly Ohio Board of Regents). “From inception of the program through now, students have saved nearly $124,000 in tuition, and 946 students have participated in the program,” said Joe Jackson, vice president of business affairs for Clark State.
Jackson said the goals of the program include reducing the cost of higher education and to encourage students to take a full-time course load each semester in order for them to complete their degrees faster. “The number of students taking 12 or more credit hours per semester has increased by three percent,” said Jackson. “The program seems to be working. Students are enrolling in more credit hours.”
Clark State has also taken additional measures to make college affordable, including reducing the number of credit hours required to earn an associate degree or certificate in most programs and offering a ten percent discount on textbooks purchased from the Bookstore at the beginning of each semester. “We have also boosted our book rental program,” said Jackson.