Community College District Considers Imposing Health Fee on Previously Exempt Students
The State Center Community College District is considering a proposal to impose a health fee on students receiving financial aid after changes to a state law eliminated an automatic waiver of the fee for those students, the Fresno Bee reports. More than half of the 32,000 students in the district receive some form of financial assistance.
The fee is $14 in the spring and fall semesters and $8 during the summer. Students at smaller campuses pay $4 per semester. The fee is used to fund campus health clinics.
However, some officials are concerned that the fee will cause some students who have limited incomes to stop attending school. State Center will begin losing money if 65 students drop out of school because of the fee.
District officials said they will evaluate the impact of the change on the student body before making a recommendation to the District Board of Trustees in February (Boyles, Fresno Bee, 1/9).