SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Jay Nixon and university presidents have agreed to a tuition cap for the state's public four-year universities; the same does not apply to community colleges.  In fact, Ozarks Technical Community College says it may be forced to raise tuition to make up for shrinking money from the state.

At 27, Travis Woods is in his second year at OTC.

"Maturation's brought me back to school," he said.

He's part of a diverse group, in age and reason, going back to the books.

"We're either their first choice or their last chance," OTC President Hal Higdon said, talking about the school's students.

Both types are represented in one managerial accounting class, many of whom chose OTC with an eye toward their own accounts.

"It's close to home; it was virtually free," said student Krissy Melander.

"If it wasn't here, I probably wouldn't be here myself," said Woods.

Classes here run $81 per credit hour, versus about three times that at some four-year universities.

"We didn't raise tuition this year, which was a struggle because of our declining revenues," Higdon said.

It appears those struggles are just beginning, as the state continues to fight its declining general fund revenues.

"We've been told we'll be cut next year.  We know the following year will be worse than this year," he said.

Higdon also says the latest budget reports suggest the decline will continue through 2012.

"We're going to have to become leaner, which means fewer employees.  We're going to have to become smarter, which means more efficient."

And, at a school where tuition represents more than half the budget, students could feel the difference in more ways than one.

The school has yet to make any firm decisions on what it plans to do with tuition for next year.  Higdon says it's a tough balancing act.  OTC would  like to raise it some but, at the same time, can't raise it so much as to price out those who really need the education.