The Ventura County Community College District trustees will consider raising tuition for out-of-state and international students at their meeting tonight.

College officials are proposing a $14 per-credit increase, which would bring tuition to $163 per credit. Non-resident tuition is paid by international students and students from other states.

Trustees will consider the proposal during their meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. in the Cowan Center at the Camarillo Airport, 550 Airport Way.

California residents currently pay $18 per unit for community college classes, though Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed Friday to increase resident tuition by $8 per unit to $26 as part of his 2004-2005 budget plan. Local college officials are recommending the increase in non-resident tuition to offset increasing costs and budget cuts. Interim Chancellor Bill Studt said the proposed fee reflects the amount spent by the district for instruction.

If the fee is increased, it would generate another $181,000 in revenue for the cash-strapped district, which was recently placed on a statewide watch list for districts facing financial difficulty. Also at the meeting, the trustees are expected to approve an initial contract proposal that will be presented to the faculty union, AFT Local 1828. The union's three-year contract with the district expires June 30, Studt said.