The recent article on college tuition (“College Charges on Rise in Maine,” July 29) did a good job in describing the rising cost of higher education. Among other things, the article pointed out that Central Maine Community College has frozen tuition at $2,040 per year for a full-time student. In fact, when the current two-year tuition freeze is complete, CM will have maintained the same tuition for eight consecutive years.

I would like to make one clarification regarding the chart that accompanied the article. On the chart, the “tuition” cost to attend CM includes room and board charges. Most of the colleges on the chart are essentially residential colleges where the cost of room and board is an important factor in total college costs.

CM is primarily a commuter institution with less than eight percent of our students living on campus. The vast majority – 92 percent – of our 1,650 students commute to college. The cost of room and board to a commuter student is irrelevant. For commuter students, the annual cost of full-time attendance at CM is $2,040 per year for tuition and depending on the program an additional 25 percent of the tuition in fees, not the $7,600 indicated in the chart.

Thank you again for keeping the issue of college – and its importance to the citizens and businesses of this region – in front of your readers.

Scott E. Knapp, president,

Central Maine Community College,

Auburn

Copy the Story Link