Both Lansing Community College and Eastern Michigan University announced this week that students will be paying more tuition and fees to attend school next year.

Ward Mullens, news services manager at EMU, said the university is slated to receive about $8.7 million less this year from the state. As a result, tuition was increased and 84 positions were eliminated — all but five were vacant, or those filling them were bumped to other positions.

“We only laid off five individuals,” he said. “They include the executive associate to the provost, special assistant to the provost and the director of the National Institute for Consumer Education.”

Two maintenance workers also lost their jobs. The university should save around $3.7 million in staff salaries. In addition, the university plans to cut $3 million from supplies, services and travel expenses, about $900,000 in utilities and about $300,000 in telephone costs, said Patrick Doyle, vice president for business and finance, in a written release.

Mullens said the Board of Regents met Tuesday and raised tuition 9.9 percent to make up for the cut from the state. He said the numbers Doyle gave were rounded, and they equal the amount to be accounted for ($8.7 million). He also said, however, that EMU will increase tuition by 9.9 percent in order to help make up for the amount lost.

“The only gain in our general fund budget is from about a 1-percent increase in enrollment,” he said. “Our state appropriations got cut by 10 percent, or $8.7 million. We had to raise tuition (by 9.9 percent) plus make those cuts in order to make up for the funding we lost. The 9.9 (percent) directly correlates to the 10 percent we lost,” he said.

LCC Media Relations spokesperson Brian Jackson said his college is slated to lose $3.4 million in state funding. LCC tuition increased by $3 per credit hour (5.9 percent), so in-district students will pay $54 per credit hour; out of district students will pay $86; and international students will pay $118. The tuition increase will result in $1.9 million more for the college.

“It looks like we’ll be in the lowest quartile (among other Michigan community colleges), at least. We’re below the average, so we’re pretty proud of that. We also increased scholarship funding as well, to help offset (the tuition and fee increase).”

LCC also will raise fees. Jackson said the fees for 186 of 2,566 classes were raised for the 2003-2004 academic year.

“The majority increased by $5 to $10, and others increased more to cover certification costs. That correlates to extra costs and expenses (for specific classes).”

The higher fees, which will cover lab fees, equipment, higher costs for tests such as Microsoft certification exams, will raise $143,000.

Seventeen people were laid off to reduce costs, as well. Jackson said those who lost their jobs included both administration and support staff. The college will save $1.2 million through layoffs and eliminations.

“They got severance packages that were better than what the union negotiated. ... There were no faculty layoffs, and we increased funding to direct instruction as well,” he said.

Before the college began layoffs, Jackson said early retirement incentives were offered, a tactic tried at CMU as well.

“It didn’t save much for this academic year, but it will save for the future.”