By Shirlett Warren/editor-in-chief
Student tuition will increase as a result of Tarrant County College trustees’ unanimous approval of a $351 million 2012-2013 operating budget, a $2 million increase from last year’s budget.
The tuition increases will begin in spring 2013. In-district student tuition rates will increase by 6 percent to $55, or $3 more per semester hour. Out-of-district rates go up by 13 percent to $86, or $10 more per semester hour. Non-Texas residents will pay an additional 20 percent at $34 per semester hour. The new rates will be in effect until 2015. Based upon enrollment projections, the tuition increase will generate $10 million in revenue over the three-year period.
“We worked really, really hard on balancing this budget without a tax increase and without a tuition increase,” said Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley. “We were determined to do that.”
Hadley said tuition increases were not a part of her budget recommendations and emphasized that the budget was based on conservative calculations even though it was balanced without the increases.
“I said to the staff when we first began working on this, if the board decides to increase anything, my recommendation would be that it goes for ‘sticky spaces,’” she said. “In other words, we find some better spaces for our students to hang out.”
Facilities and academic master plan projects for “sticky spaces” are already in place. The plan allocates $1 million for library innovation forums and experiential learning spaces. Another $3 million is dedicated to creating math emporiums on every campus by summer 2013.
Renovation and repair projects have been designated for each campus.
“If we had a dollar, it would be to spend on sustainability, energy and efficiencies,” said vice chancellor of real estate and facilities Nina Petty.
Petty said she was hopeful that the approved budget would focus on those areas with each campus renovation.
South Campus will receive a $5.5 million science building lab renovation and a $1.6 million technology building renovation.
TR Campus has $3.5 million allocated for a parking project. NE Campus will get music building and health science center biology lab renovations, along with road repairs. SE Campus will receive a kitchen renovation for culinary arts as well as ceiling and lighting updates.
In addition to Cisco lab and bookstore renovations, construction for a new firing range facility was approved for NW Campus with $5 million set aside for the new 35,000-square-foot facility.
The largest single expenditure item is the $10 million salary, adjunct rate and department chair increase. Faculty members can expect to see a 3 percent salary increase, and credit adjunct faculty members will receive $1.50 more per hour.
While a contract is pending, the board in a closed meeting approved a 3 percent salary increase for Hadley for this year.
