Members of the Navajo County Community College District Governing Board considered potential wage and tuition increases during their meeting Tuesday.
Northland Pioneer College Vice President of Administrative Services Blaine Hatch asked the board to consider an increase in the tuition rates, raising the cost by $2 per credit hour. If approved, the increase would provide a $100,000 increase in funds. In making the request, it was noted that summer session tuition costs and The Learning Cornerstone have been reduced by 50 percent. If approved, the increase would bring the cost per credit up from $66 to $68.
Other increases being proposed include those associated with Career and Technical Education, including raising auto shop fees from $55 to $75 due to the increased cost of automotive course consumables for lab instruction. Most industrial maintenance and mechatronics course fees would increase from $145 to $165 to offset the online eLearning system cost. Welding Department fees would increase from $55 to $75 and from $75 to $95 to account for the increased cost of consumables, particularly metals. Some departments in the Nursing and Allied Health Division would decrease in cost from $500 to $400 as students begin purchasing Elsevier online access directly instead of through the college.
The board was also asked to consider an increase in wages by two percent for the 2015-16 fiscal year for all employee groups except administrators, who would receive a one percent increase.
Board member James Matteson asked why administrators were being offered one percent when other employees were getting two percent. “I feel one percent is not keeping up with inflation,” he said.
“Administration is more highly paid, so two percent would provide a higher dollar amount. Keeping it at one percent helps reduce expenditures,” explained Hatch.
The anticipated budget impact represents an annual increase of approximately $230,000.
It was noted that the Consumer Price Index rose just under one percent in 2014 after a 1.5 percent increase in 2013, making it the lowest increase in 50 years. The average annual increase over the last 10 years is 2.1 percent.
According to Hatch, the proposed increases fall within the median range of increases being offered to community college staff throughout the state.
Action on all items will be taken at the March 17 meeting. At that time the board will also take possible action on a review of the policy regarding the definition of decentralization.
In other business Feb. 17, the board:
* Approved the purchase of SmartBoards projectors and document cameras through CCS Presentation Systems for $141,11.60.
This purchase is part of the three-year lifecycle replacement of aging equipment and new classrooms.
* Authorized acceptance of the Audited Budgeted Expenditure Limitation Report.
The report indicates expenditures for the fiscal year met the statutory expenditure limitation of $14,894,360, with $1,134,433 of carry forward expended in the current year and with $3,583,793 carried forward to future years.
* Approved an adjustment to the fiscal year 2013-14 adopted budget.
* Approved modifications to Business, Early Childhood Studies, Fire Science, Human Services, and Industrial Maintenance and Operations degrees.
