PJC Board of Regents votes to increase tuition

Published or Revised March 23, 2011

Keeping tuition at Paris Junior College below the state community college average while filling a hole created by budget cuts from the State of Texas was the goal of the PJC Board of Regents as they approved minimal tuition increases Tuesday evening. In her presentation on proposed tuition increases to the regents, PJC President Dr. Pam Anglin said the current state average for per credit hour in-district tuition is $65, out-of-district is $97, and non-resident is $144. In a recent survey of expected tuition increases from community colleges around the state, most indicated they were increasing tuition by $10 per credit hour. The college's Administration proposed an increase of $5 per credit hour for in- and out-of district tuition and $9 per credit hour for out-of-state, nonresident tuition, which the Regents adopted. The Regents approved tuition rates for in-district of $44 per semester credit hour, out-of-district tuition will be $75 per semester credit hour, and non-resident will be $120 per semester per credit hour for 2011-2012. "With this increase PJC will still be under the current state average," Dr. Anglin said, "even before the other community colleges increase their tuition. So we're still very competitive." The State allows schools to charge differential tuition for high cost programs, and the Regents approved an additional tuition increase of $75 per credit hour per semester for jewelry; horology; licensed vocational nursing; radiology; surgical technology; emergency medical services; and associate degree nursing. "We're still not breaking even on those programs, but we cut our loss by about half, and in two to three years could be breaking even," said Dr. Anglin. She also reported that there are waiting lists for most of these programs. An existing $30 fee for internet courses was added to academic courses that use the internet as part of the course requirements and to all hybrid courses. Private music instruction will go up $10 per credit hour, as approved by the Regents. Finally, course fees in vocational/technical courses were increased to cover the college's costs for licensing tests, drug screens, background checks and equipment kits. Responding to a question, Dr. Anglin said, "Right now, we're looking at $1.8 million in cuts. These increases add up to $1.3 million and that, plus personnel cuts discussed at the last meeting, would bring us to break-even." In other business, the Regents:

• Approved the sale of college land once used as the Biology Field Lab to the sole bidder at $408,000, with the proceeds to go to the new Science and Technology Building. The 256 acres appraised at $400,000.
• Received a financial report from Vice President of Business Services John Eastman that includes $231,812 less in state funding than was budgeted for due to additional reductions to this current year from the Legislature.
• Voted to continue allowing the college to contribute locally through the United Way and opt out of the State Employee Charitable Contribution Fund. Funds contributed on the Paris campus go to the Lamar County United Way, and those raised in Greenville go to the Hunt County United Way.
• Approved the renewal of the Aramark contract for the 2011-12 fiscal year with an increase of four percent over last year's contract amount.
• Approved the Racial Profiling Policy for Campus Police, as required by law. The policy was expanded to include required professional development and training for officers. In the past the state funded this mandated training, but will not for the coming year.
• Accepted Charter Builders as the Construction Manager at Risk for the science and technology building project.
• Approved the prevailing wage rate schedule to be used in the Science and Technology Building and the Greenville parking lot, as federally required.
• Reviewed answers provided by Dr. Anglin to data questions for the Achieving the Dream Board of Trustees Institute.
• Received an update on the Legislative Session and bills that have been filed that would affect PJC. These include a bill that would treat community college employee insurance as if they were K-12 employees, not higher education employees. Another bill would require each college to hire an internal auditor at a time when there is a great need for more faculty and counselors and positions are being cut. Legislation allowing concealed handguns on campus looks as if it will pass. A plea from the Texas Association of Community Colleges to allow governing boards to make the decision locally fell on deaf ears. A Senate bill to require assessment and reporting on the quality of advising is another unfunded mandate. No dual credit for physical education will be funded. Only dual credit for core academic courses or technical classes that could be applied to a degree will be funded. The House Appropriations Committee did vote to restore the funding for four community colleges originally slated for closure – by cutting the budgets of all the other community colleges commensurately.
• Approved the faculty recommended by the administration for rehire for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.