PJC Board of Regents Adopts Lower Tax Rate

Published or Revised September 18, 2013

For the second year in a row, the Paris Junior College Board of Regents lowered the property tax rate from the preceding year. Tuesday evening a 2013-2014 property tax rate of 18.66 cents per $100 valuation was approved, a decrease from 18.7 cents last year and 19 cents the previous year. The board also heard a report from PJC Associate Vice President for Student Access and Success Sheila Reece on the college's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). Part of PJC's accreditation process, the five-year QEP is designed to improve student learning. Mandatory student orientation was the first step, implemented this summer for new students. The objective was 80 percent of students scoring at least a 75 on the orientation test; 81 percent met that target. Next year tracking data will be available on how those students performed in class. Each student has been assigned an academic advisor who will work with the students on an advising syllabus and degree plans and audits. Ongoing review will implement ideas on making the process easier for students. In other business, the Regents:

• Received the official report of fall student enrollment with a head count of 5,385. Contact hours are up by .09 percent, which closely tracks the state average.
• Approved the Continuing Education pricing guideline with one modification, to change the overhead rate for the cost analysis to that used for credit programs.
• Extended the three-year farm lease on 181 acres of college land to five years.