At their meeting last Tuesday, members of the Butler Community College Board of Trustees discussed the potential raise in tuition, fees and residence hall rates.
For this school year, in-state student tuition and fee cost is $79 per credit hour, out-of-state student cost is $129 per credit hour and international student cost is $212 per credit hour.
There is a possibility the college will receive approximately $1.2 million in federal stimulus money that would help offset proposed tuition and fee increases.
Without stimulus money, the fees would increase from $79 to $88, $129 to$140 and $212 to $226.
However, if the college gets the stimulus funds, the proposed increases would be from $79 to $82, $129 to $134 and $212 to $220.
The board members noted even if the college receives the stimulus money, that would be a one-time funding source which would have to be replaced the following year.
Board member Carter Zerbe also expressed the desire to keep the college's share of the mill levy where it is and to not raise taxes for county residents to pay for the college's funding shortages.
The trustees also reviewed a proposed 2.8 percent increase to residence hall and meal rates. They did not take vote on any of the proposed fee increases during the meeting.
Board members will attend a special meeting on March 23 to further review the situation and to vote on the proposed increases.
The trustees also received reports about the college's Learning Community Centers as well as the composites engineering technology program.
The Learning Community Centers are Butler of Andover, Butler of Rose Hill and Butler of McConnell.
Each site has unique characteristics, with Butler of Andover having the largest number of students, with Butler of Rose Hill offering general education classes in a small town environment where the staff knows most of the students by name and with Butler of McConnell serving the educational needs of military personnel.
All of these sites offer advising, accounts receivable and enrollment services to students.
The trustees received a report from Dean Dr. Mike Calvert about the increase in enrollment at all three locations, as well as courses offered and plans for the future.
Pedro Leite gave the Trustees an update about one of the newer programs being offered by Butler, the composites engineering technology program.
This is a program that prepares students to be able to utilize basic engineering principle and technical skills in support of engineers and others who develop and use advanced materials and polymers in commercial manufacturing.
Presently, there are six full-time and five part-time students in the program. Leite expects the program to grow as more students become aware the opportunities it provides.
