MISSION VIEJO : Out-of-State Credit Fee Hike Weighed

Saddleback Community College District’s Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote tonight on whether to raise its credit hour fee for out-of-state residents from $96 to $102.

The increase would take effect in the fall and would bring the district’s out-of-state tuition up to the state average. The district has about 1,200 out-of-state students at Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College.

District spokeswoman Diane Riopka said the increase is being considered to improve the district’s financial condition.

California residents pay a state-mandated $5 a unit, up to a maximum of $50 a semester.

The raise would not affect newly arrived military personnel and their dependents, who are exempted from the out-of-state charge under most circumstances.

Under state law, the district has several options when computing its tuition for out-of-state residents:

* It can match the state average, the option recommended by the administration.

* It can charge the students what it costs the district to provide their education. That cost at Saddleback is $110 a unit, according to reports.

* It can match the tuition charged by adjacent districts. According to district reports, three of the four adjacent community college districts--Coastline, Palomar and Rancho Santiago--already charge or have plans to charge out-of-state students $102 a unit. Mt. San Jacinto Community College District charges $97 a unit.

The board is also scheduled to vote on whether to hire consumer activist Ralph Nader to make a 1992 on-campus speech at a cost of $10,500. Tickets would be sold and sponsors sought to offset the cost, according to reports.