Henry Ford Community College Amnesty Program Helps Students Return to Class

An innovative approach to capturing uncollected student debt at Henry Ford Community College is turning heads in the world of higher education.

In July, the college announced a one-time tuition amnesty program to help students clear debt while simultaneously assisting the college in closing a $16 million deficit for the 2013-2014 school year. The program allows individuals to pay half of what is owed on their account and settle their debt in full with the college. This includes all debt related to tuition, fees, fines, bookstore charges and financial aid.


The college said Monday that it has collected $98,341 from 327 students since the program began on July 15. Of those students, 101 are on a payment plan, and 226 have paid off their total balance. Sixty-five students who were previously barred from registering will enroll in classes in the fall and are on track to finishing their degree, HFCC President Stan Jensen said.

"In this difficult economy, many students ended up owing the college money when their life situation changed and they were unable to complete their studies or pay the amount owed. With the amnesty, students will be able to return to school, which will generate revenue for HFCC, and have the opportunity to complete their degree to obtain a well paying job. These students become taxpayers with the job skills needed in region. The student, the community, and the college all benefit with this program," Jensen said.

Dr. Lisa Copprue, vice president of Student Affairs, said there are 38,981 students from 2002-2012 who are still eligible to participate in the amnesty program. Of that number, 24,000 owe less than $100 to the college.

Among those who have taken advantage of the offer is Christopher Hicks of Taylor, who registered for classes last year but had to drop after the deadline due to automobile problems.

Hicks owed the college nearly $2,000 but after applying for amnesty, his debt is paid off and he plans to go back to school full-time in the fall.

“This definitely opened a door for me,” he told the Detroit News.

Copprue said students who choose to participate in the amnesty program are required to participate in a financial literacy workshop offered by the college. If a student does not comply, the remaining balance will be added back on to their account.

The amnesty program is a way to help the college curtail falling enrollment. HFCC is predicting a 25 percent loss in students for the winter semester. Jensen attributes that figure to a steadily improving economy.

"When the economy is bad, people go back to school for more training. As the job market improves, we're seeing less people enroll in college because they are working," he said.

Still, Jensen said the amnesty program has been a welcomed olive branch for students and faculty.

"The biggest thing is not the money we've collected. It's the 65 students who have re-registered at the college. If you extrapolate that number over a two-year period, it will bring in about an additional $250,000 in tuition revenue," Jensen said.

Prior to the Aug. 28 deadline, Jensen said college staff may personally contact students who owe less than $100 to urge them to pay off the balance.

"You certainly can't put a number on goodwill, but this is something anyone would be happy to take advantage of," he said.

The program has been so successful that other community colleges in Michigan have asked HFCC to develop a model to follow.

"There's a lot of interest in what we're doing here," Jensen said.