Mission College will waive parking and health fees as well as provide free childcare to students in the 2023 Spring Semester
For Immediate Release: Monday, January 30, 2023
Mission College will waive parking and health fees as well as provide free childcare to students in the 2023 Spring Semester as part of a continued effort to make college affordable for all and remove financial barriers that slow many from reaching their higher education goals.
The West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees approved the waiving of the fees at its November meeting, and the college finalized the implementation of the decision in January marking the latest, critical steps taken in its deep commitment to social justice as well as student access, equity and success.
With Spring Semester starting Saturday, January 28, the college hopes potential students see that these costs should no longer deter them from achieving their academic goals and decide to register for classes in order to earn a degree or skills certificate that will set them apart in the workforce. Students can register at schedule.missioncollege.edu.
“The district and the college have consistently focused in recent years on making college affordable for all by providing students with critical wrap-around services and removing costs,” said Dr. Seher Awan, Mission College president. “We know that there is still critical work to be done, but these initiatives as well as many others on our campus already in place will go a long way in making sure all of our students are supported.”
Mission has charged students a health fee of $21 per semester and $18 for summer terms since 2020 to provide high-quality clinical services so they can maintain optimal health.
Available services include registered nursing consultation, crisis intervention counseling with mental health specialists as well as flu shots, immunizations, TB testing and much more. All students will be able to immediately utilize these services for free this Spring Semester.
Since 2013, the college has charged $50 per semester and $25 each summer for parking on campus. All parking revenue has been used for the operation and maintenance of the college’s parking lots and roadways. Students must request their free, semester-length permit in their student portal this Spring Semester.
Also, Mission will waive all students’ childcare costs at its Child Development Lab Center that have been in place since 2020 totaling between $1,550 to $2,650 each month per child.
The center provides services Monday through Friday for eligible children ages six weeks to five years old. Students who are enrolled in at least three units and have a family income of $150,000 or less qualify for the free childcare.
Interested students should contact Anne Horgan, Program Director at West Valley-Mission's Child Development Centers, at anne.horgan@westvalley.edu. Spaces are limited.
Under the plan, the District will cover the cost for students who do not qualify for state subsidy and have a family income of less than $150,000.
On September 6, 2022, the Board of Trustees approved its 2022-23 Final Budget, which allocates monies in its Unrestricted General Fund to support the waiving of the health and parking fees as well as provides free childcare from Spring 2023 through Spring 2024. Services will not be impacted by the waiving of the fees.
These steps are the latest in demonstrating Mission College as a leader in the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In recent years, Mission College has introduced Mission Cares, a comprehensive effort to provide basic needs resources for students experiencing housing instability, food insecurity, and other challenges; established the Second Harvest Food Bank distribution on campus, which provides free food to college students and community members every Tuesday; as well as approved the 2022-2025 Student Equity Plan that sharpens the focus on dismantling institutional barriers while intensifying the resolve to achieve racial equity in outcomes for students of color.
Also, at its momentous November meeting, the West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees adopted a resolution to use local funds to waive all tuition and enrollment fees for students within our service area.
The district will now work closely with local lawmakers on authoring, introducing, and championing legislation that would allow the district to use unrestricted general funds to provide fee waivers to students.
“We know that our community is facing incredible obstacles to thrive, especially post pandemic. We hope that everyone views Mission College as an ally in their quest to best support their family and themselves,” Awan said.
For media and press inquires please email benjamin.demers@missioncollege.edu.