Announcement Made on Nov. 3, 2026:

HACC Lowers Tuition for Most Students Beginning Fall 2027

On Nov. 3, 2026, the Board of Trustees of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, approved the College’s tuition and fees for the 2027-28 academic year. This bold action reclaims the College’s value proposition: Through lower tuition and a revised fee schedule, the College is doubling down on its commitment to affordability for the communities and families it serves.

Beginning fall 2027, tuition per credit will fall from $189.75 to $150 for residents of HACC’s sponsoring school districts and from $290 to $250 for other Pennsylvania residents. The College’s per-credit fees and its course fees for laboratory, clinical, studio and trades courses are set against comparable charges at peer community colleges. Approving the rates in November 2026, rather than with the budget in spring 2027, gives students and families the 2027-28 price about 10 months before fall 2027 classes begin and time to compare it with other colleges.

This decision follows a comprehensive comparison of HACC’s tuition and fees with Pennsylvania’s 15 community colleges, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education universities and other regional institutions, conducted as part of the College’s zero-based budgeting process. With the new pricing, HACC reclaims its true north: quality programs at a price families can afford.

“As a HACC alumnus myself, I understand the importance of an accessible, affordable, quality education close to home,” said Jonathan Bowser, chair of the HACC Board of Trustees. “When the Board approved its budget priorities in August, the first was to keep students and HACC’s mission at the center of every decision and to protect access and affordability for the communities we serve. Today’s vote puts that priority into practice. Community colleges like HACC are the backbone of our economy, and they prepare people for good jobs here at home.”

“Our students and their success are at the center of every decision we make,” said Dan Lufkin, Ed.D., president and CEO of HACC. “The zero-based budgeting exercise has a purpose: to direct our resources to quality programs aligned with the jobs our region needs and to offer these programs at a price families can afford. Price opens the door, but what carries students past the finish line is the quality of our programs. Nursing and dental hygiene anchor our health programs, and our academic programs across our five schools – Health Sciences; Business, Technology and Industry; Liberal Arts; Science and Mathematics; and Public Service – give every student a clear route to an associate degree or an industry-recognized credential that our employers are asking for.”

The approved rates take effect in fall 2027. The full rate schedule is now available along with answers to frequently asked questions. Students are encouraged to connect with their advisor, the Welcome Center and the Financial Aid Department to learn more.

Announcement Made on Oct. 6, 2026:

On Oct. 6, 2026, the Board of Trustees approved the sale of the Cytec Building at our York Campus. All five HACC campuses will remain open and ready to serve HACC students.

Currently, the College’s York Campus has four principal buildings:

1. The Cytec Building
2. The Campus Support Services Building
3. The Governor George M. Leader Building
4. The William F. Goodling Center 

As announced on Sept. 1, 2026, the Board of Trustees approved the sale of the William F. Goodling Center. That property is under an agreement of sale, with settlement scheduled on or before Dec. 31, 2026, subject to the satisfaction of the due-diligence and approval contingencies. Title and possession transfer to the buyer at settlement, upon payment of the purchase price; until then the College continues to own and occupy the building. 

By concentrating the College’s activity into the buildings we will retain, we can modernize instructional space, strengthen program delivery and preserve room to grow – all while ensuring our resources are used responsibly and aligned with the College’s current and future needs.

Announcement Made on Sept. 1, 2026:

On Sept. 1, 2026, the Board of Trustees approved the sale of the William F. Goodling Center at our York Campus. All five HACC campuses will remain open and ready to serve HACC students.

Currently, the College’s York Campus has four principal buildings:

1. Cytec
2. The Campus Support Services Building
3. The Governor George M. Leader Building
4. The William F. Goodling Center

By concentrating the College’s activity into the buildings we will retain, we can modernize instructional space, strengthen program delivery and preserve room to grow – all while ensuring our resources are used responsibly and aligned with the College’s current and future needs.
 

Announcement Made on June 2, 2026:

Last Updated: June 2, 2026

HACC Adopts Revised 2026-27 Budget and Related Resolutions

On June 2, 2026, the Board of Trustees approved a revised 2026-27 operating budget of $123.8-million that reduces the projected operating deficit to $0.8 million, representing $9.0 million in identified savings against the pre-intervention baseline - nearly twice the savings adopted on April 7, 2026. The College remains firmly committed to returning to a structurally balanced budget by fiscal year 2027-28.

At its June 2, 2026, meeting, the Board of Trustees also approved resolutions supporting (1) continuous academic and workforce alignment, (2) the sale or lease of seven buildings as part of real estate consolidation and (3) collegewide service contracts to align operating costs with the College's rightsized footprint. Together, these resolutions form a strategy to deliver structural balance by fiscal year 2027-28.

"The work between April and June has nearly doubled our identified savings. Significant work remains, but the College’s leaders have demonstrated that disciplined stewardship combined with the right structural changes can position HACC for long-term sustainability while continuing to put students first," said HACC President and CEO John J. "Ski" Sygielski, MBA, Ed.D.

The Board of Trustees approved three additional resolutions extending the rightsizing strategy beyond the actions adopted on April 7, 2026. These resolutions position the College to return to a structurally balanced budget by fiscal year 2027-28.

Academic and Workforce Alignment
The Board affirmed its support for continuous, systematic review of the College's academic and workforce portfolio - including programs, organizational structures, staffing models, workloads, scheduling practices and resource allocation strategies.

To date:

• More than 100 programs have been assessed
• More than 14 programs have been restructured or phased out
• More than four meta majors have been introduced to improve student pathways, reduce excess credits and strengthen completion

Importantly, 97% of academic-credit students are unaffected by these changes. Also, no currently enrolled student will be left without a plan to complete their HACC program.

Real Estate Consolidation
The Board approved the following:

• Sale or lease of seven buildings
• Consolidation of instructional and administrative operations into retained buildings
• Renovations to retained facilities funded by sale proceeds after satisfaction of outstanding debt obligations and related transaction costs
• Continued exploration of additional property sale or lease opportunities subject to further Board approval

The seven buildings approved for sale or lease are:

1. Gettysburg Campus Building and associated parcels
2. Harrisburg Campus Midtown 1 building and associated parcels
3. Harrisburg Campus John N. Hall Technology Center and associated parcels
4. Harrisburg Campus Ted Lick Administration Building and associated parcels
5. Lancaster Campus Main Building and associated parcels
6. York Campus Cytec building and associated parcels
7. York Campus William F. Goodling Center and associated parcels

All five HACC campuses will remain open. The full consolidation plan is expected to be executed in phases over the next couple of years, beginning with the York Campus in summer 2026.

Operating Efficiencies
The Board approved collegewide service contracts that align custodial and maintenance service costs with the College's rightsized operating footprint. These contracts replace the prior fixed-cost model with a flexible, service-based approach that scales with campus utilization, course schedules and consolidated operations.
 

Announcement Made on April 7, 2026: 

HACC Adopts 2026-27 Budget

Last updated: April 7, 2026 

On April 7, 2026, the Board of Trustees of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, adopted a $128-million operating budget for 2026-27. 

Compounding structural pressures could have resulted in a deficit approaching $10 million without intervention. Those structural pressures include three consecutive years of flat state appropriations; a projected enrollment decline of 1.8%; the first budget cycle reflecting the full financial impact of a newly ratified collective bargaining agreement with the faculty union; an 11% increase in employee healthcare costs; and rising operating expenses driven by inflation. These pressures converged simultaneously and left the College with a clear choice: act decisively now or face a deficit that would deepen in subsequent years.

Through a deliberate combination of short- and long-term initiatives, the College has reduced that exposure by half, limiting the 2026-27 deficit to $5 million. This reflects the kind of disciplined, forward-looking stewardship that responsible institutions must exercise in periods of transition. The College remains firmly committed to returning to a structurally balanced budget no later than 2027-28.

“HACC’s Board of Trustees expects the College to present a fiscally-responsible budget each year. The 2026-27 budget reflects a long-standing practice of accountable budget stewardship as well as our ongoing commitment to putting and serving students first,” said HACC President and CEO John J. “Ski” Sygielski, MBA, Ed.D.