Recognizing how current economic conditions are impacting local residents, the Belmont Technical College Board of Trustees has voted not to increase tuition for the 2009-2010 academic year.

This marks the third year in a row that BTC has opted to keep its programs affordable by not increasing tuition. The decision comes at a critical time when some community colleges and universities are being forced to raise tuition in order to compensate for decreased funding from the state coffers.

"We are a responsible institution and we want to do everything possible to help the community," said BTC President Dr. Joseph E. Bukowski. "We have chosen not to increase tuition because we are very cognizant of the need to provide affordable education in our service area." BTC's enrollment rates reflect the affordability of its tuition. In fact, the college is currently experiencing its highest enrollment in the past decade.

Dr. Rebecca Kurtz, Vice President of Learning and Student Success, said the growing enrollment can be attributed to many factors. Although economic conditions are at the heart of a trend where residents are seeking affordable higher education, it is not the only reason why students are registering in record numbers at BTC.

"Intentional strategies that have been implemented which contribute to the increased enrollment include adding the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science transfer degrees to enable students to take the first two years of their Bachelor's Degree at Belmont Technical College," said Dr. Kurtz. "We have also added new programs, such as Cyber Security and Computer Forensics, and we have taken a proactive stance in regard to the allocation of student financial aid. Additional grant and scholarship opportunities have been created."

Dr. Kurtz noted that BTC is diligent in pursuing Continuous Quality Improvement measures to ensure that students are finding access not only to an affordable education, but also to a high-quality college experience.

"Plans for the coming academic year will be implemented in order to continue the retention of current students and to recruit additional students who can benefit from the higher education options at the college," said Dr. Kurtz. "The ultimate goal of our enrollment management strategies is to increase degree completions, job placements and transfers to four-year institutions for all students."