Tuition for Online Courses Jumps 22 Percent at OCC

Anticipating more state aid than originally expected, Ocean County College officials have amended their $57.8 million budget to $58.1 million to account for the increase.

They also increased the cost of online courses for county residents and non-residents following a public hearing Monday in Toms River at which no one spoke. 

The cost of online courses for resident students went from $122 to $150 a credit, while non-residents will pay $215 a credit. Out-of-state tuition was hiked from $206 to $215 a credit. With $28 in fees, the out-of-state tuition totals $243 a credit.

College President Jon H. Larson said online learning is “the wave of the future, and we’re riding the crest.’’

The changes in the fiscal 2011-12 budget involve $285,754 in additional state aid.

That sum, and a $67,506 cut in money earmarked in the budget adopted earlier this year for student service, will be spent to add $178,240 for the operation of the college facilities, $84,578 for academic support, $58,442 for institutional support, and $32,000 for instructional costs.

OCC testing center fees increased from $15 to $25 for college-level examination program tests, $25 to $30 for Thomas Edison State College tests and from $30 to $50 for TEAS nursing exams. Accuplacer fees were set at $20 each for first time full and challenge full tests, and $5 for college level math.

The trustees also authorized the hiring of eCollege.com, doing business as Pearson eCollege, Centennial, Co., to develop and promote OCC’s online course offerings. The agreement calls for eCollege to get $100,000 to set up the program, train those who will run it and implement it.

The five-year agreement calls for eCollege to get a share of the tuition online tuition over and above the OCC base starting at 10 percent in the first year of the agreement and rising five percent until it reaches 30 percent in the fifth year.

Vice President of Finance Sara Winchester said negotiations are continuing on that agreement.