CSM to increase tuition 2.5 percent

Local students to pay additional $3 per credit

The College of Southern Maryland has announced a 2.5 percent tuition increase beginning at the start of the fall 2016 school year.

The increase, set by CSM’s Board of Trustees at its May 19 meeting, will mean an increase of $3 per credit for Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s residents, to $123 per credit.

For Maryland students who reside outside the tri-county region, tuition will increase $6 per credit, to $213. Out-of-state students will see $7 per credit increase, to $275 per credit.

The comprehensive fee remains at 23 percent of tuition.

CSM’s operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year is $63,510,161. Tuition and fees constitute nearly 48 percent of funding, with the remainder primarily coming from county (29 percent) and state (22 percent).

The FY17 budget is an increase of less than 1 percent over the current year budget, and includes funds to begin operations at the new regional Hughesville

campus currently under construction, home to the Center for Trades and Energy Training which is expected to be completed midway through the 2016-17 school year.

CSM President Bradley Gottfried said the increase in tuition is also to help keep up with rising operating costs as well as an effort to “right-size” enrollment estimates.

“In the past we have been overly optimistic on what we felt enrollment would be, and this is an effort to correct that,” Gottfried said.

He said the 2.5 percent increase should not unduly impact most students.

“For those students for whom it would be a hardship, we are here to help,” Gottfried said. “We don’t want to see any student denied an education because we increased tuition.”

Gottfried said CSM offers a free, online service through the college website to help students identify and apply for scholarships.

“It’s part of our mission; it’s part of what we do,” Gottfried said.