by Kieren Heinle, staff writer
Students contribute more than just tuition each semester. Our student fees fund a wide array of programs, services, and facilities designed to support our academic success.
But do you actually know how your fees are spent?
Every semester, each credit hour has student required fees that “are a mandated cost associated with PPSC campus modality and cannot be waived,” according to the website. Visiting the fees breakdown here introduces the listed fees as “Colorado Community College State Board approved fees listed with descriptions,” but the only information provided is the fee name, and amount.
According to Dr. Enrique Romo, Vice President of Student Experience and Equity, student fees are set and approved by the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) Board, and based on student enrollment each semester. While tuition covers classroom instruction, fees fund the resources that surround it: the clubs, programs, and services that are intended to help students succeed.
The Student Government Association (SGA) fee of $1.59 supports student leadership, clubs, and events, while the Parking Lot Bond fee of $1.66 helps pay for parking facility maintenance and improvement. Students also contribute $2.43 per credit hour through the Student Center Bond fee, which funds the upkeep of gathering spaces such as The Grove at Centennial Campus and the student lounge at Rampart.
Recreation and sports programs receive $1.01 per credit hour to sustain fitness centers, outdoor equipment, and student sports programming. The Student Assistance Fee, which is $4.85 per credit hour, supports everything from mental health counseling and academic aid to childcare assistance. Students also pay a $0.44 Green Campus Fee, which funds sustainability initiatives and supports the Sustainability Coordinator. Finally, a $4.96 Technology Fee is supposed to ensure that classrooms remain equipped with up to date technology, lab tools, and software, including $600 laptop subsidies available to registered students who qualify.
Since its inception in February 2025, the Technology Fee has generated a little over $458,000, with about $206,000 already used to provide 387 laptop subsidies (through Sept. 2025). A quarter of this fee’s revenue goes directly to the Division of Student Experience and Equity, and is used for the laptop subsidies, while the remaining 75 percent is managed by the IT department for updating classroom technology, technology infrastructure, and software access.
The Student Assistance Fee, renamed in Fall 2023, supports a wide range of student needs. According to Romo, $128,000 has been allocated to hire an additional mental health counselor and contract with BetterMynd for tele-mental health services. Another $310,000 supports the staffing and operations of Single Stop and the Canvas Community Food Pantry, which help students facing food insecurity and financial hardship. The college has also dedicated $135,000 annually to scholarships covering basic needs, academic costs, and childcare. Since the fee’s expansion, 428 students have received 572 scholarships totaling nearly $238,000.
“As of Fall 2025, our comprehensive student support services have made a significant impact,” says Romo. More than 33,000 students, faculty, and staff have accessed the Canvas Community Food Pantries, while nearly 3,000 more have visited the Mobile Food Market. Through Single Stop, over 750 students have received individualized assistance, resulting in nearly 3,000 referrals to both campus and community resources. In total, the college estimates these efforts have connected students with more than $9.2 million in benefit assistance.
In addition to those per-credit-hour costs, each student pays a flat $17.55 registration fee to cover administrative expenses and a $10.23 bus pass fee, which provides free access to local city buses. Both the bus pass and technology fees were approved by student vote.
According to Romo, programs funded by student fees are evaluated through student satisfaction surveys created to gather direct feedback on program quality, focus groups and town halls conducting qualitative assessments, and SGA meetings with students and leadership. The college also uses comparative benchmarking to assess our programs against peer institutions, and annual budget reviews to analyze program outcomes and student feedback. “This data-driven approach ensures that student fees support programs that genuinely enhance the college experience while maintaining fiscal responsibility,” says Romo.
There are no plans to change existing student fees at this time. However, students should be aware that all fees undergo an annual review by the CCCS every spring semester. This system-wide assessment may result in fee adjustments to account for inflation, using calculations that apply uniformly across all colleges. Any proposed changes must receive approval from the Board and are finalized in May, giving students advance notice before the start of the next academic year. Romo says, “It’s important to note that our student fees remain among the lowest in the CCCS system. We are committed to maintaining affordability while ensuring quality services and programs for our students.”
Students interested in learning more about how their fees are used can contact PPSC’s Controller in the Financial Services Office at 719-502-2219, the Director of Student Engagement and Leadership, or the Division of Student Experience and Equity. Information is also available on the PPSC Tuition and Fees webpage.
