For the summer of 2025 and the foreseeable future, Ivy Tech will no longer be offering free summer classes to high school students. This move was confirmed by the college, but not everyone is thrilled about it. Sophomore Chris Cole has some choice words about the change, “I think it’s absurd, students should protest over this. That’s like Ivy Tech taking away our rights from us.” Unfortunately this drastic change will throw a wrench in many students’ academic plans.
The change comes after Ivy Tech experienced a statewide budget cut to higher education by 5 percent. With less funding readily available, the college has been forced to make tough decisions about where to reduce costs. According to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, the cuts “entailed about 5% cuts to public higher education institutes and most state agencies.” Summer classes were cut to ease pressure on operational expenses, allowing the college to focus its limited resources on the fall and spring semesters. Ivy Tech will not be the only college affected by this. All Indiana colleges will receive this 5 percent cut in operational costs; this will likely affect summer classes for academic institutes in Indiana moving forward.
The decision has left many students frustrated, especially those who were depending on summer courses to stay on track for graduation, retake failed classes, or reduce their course load during the regular school year. Some students now face the possibility of delaying their graduation or taking a more rigorous semester schedule the following year, which could increase stress and academic pressure.
