County students get a break

By Bob Belcher

May 16, 2008 02:47 am

— A year ago, Navarro College trustee Todd McGraw wanted to exempt Navarro County residents attending the college from a tuition increase. He was out-voted 5-1.
Thursday, McGraw made the same suggestion to give Navarro County residents a break on proposed tuition increases. This time his amendment to the motion to increase tuition and fees for the fall semester passed on a 4-1 vote. Trustee Dr. James Price cast the lone dissenting vote.
“I feel like we need to keep it a real value for the Navarro County taxpayers,” McGraw said during a break in Thursday’s college board meeting. “I don’t mind raising the out-of-district fees, but I believe here in Navarro County, for the taxpayers, we need to keep it the same.”
The schedule approved by trustees Thursday goes into effect beginning with the Fall 2008 semester. It will raise the cost of college for about 80 percent of the Navarro’s student body, according to Dr. Richard Sanchez, college district president. County residents, who college officials say make up about 20 percent of the college’s enrollment, were spared an increase by Thursday’s vote.
The administration had recommended a $1 per credit hour increase for county residents, and a $2 per credit hour hike for students from outside the district, and for those from outside the state. Darrell Raines, vice-president of finance, said the move would increase revenues by about $419,000. McGraw’s motion to amend the plan to leave rates for county residents the same lowers that gain.
“It will impact our planning ... by probably about $140,000,” Sanchez said. “We can absorb that.”
Price cited current economic conditions as one of his reasons for voting against the county resident tuition freeze.
“I feel like students need to pay their way,” Price said. “We as taxpayers are always burdened with taxes, and everybody else is increasing their tuition. I just feel like students need to pay their fair share. It’s not that much money involved...
“We need to increase the salaries of our faculty, especially our part-time faculty. That’s what this would be designated for,” he said.
Sanchez, however, said the increase was “to do various things, bring about new initiatives to the college.” He said that Navarro’s new tuition rates remain below the state average of last year, adding the state average will likely go up this year.
While some tuition and fees will increase this fall, housing costs will remain the same. Trustees passed a 5 percent hike in room and board rates on Feb. 21, a move Raines said proved to be a wise move by the college.
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Bob Belcher may be reached via e-mail at belcher@corsicanadailysun.com

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