By By Steve Swogetinsky/The Meridian Star
April 11, 2001
DECATUR An across the board tuition increase of 20 percent will greet students at East Central Community College when the fall semester starts in August.
The ECCC board of trustees reluctantly voted on Tuesday to increase rates to make up for some of the money lost due to state budget cutbacks. ECCC hopes the tuition hikes will generate an additional $300,000 to $350,000.
ECCC President Dr. Phil Sutphin also announced to the board during a monthly meeting there was no money in the budget for pay raises for the coming year for ECCC staff and faculty.
The state's cutbacks mean ECCC will have $1,103,579 less when fiscal year 2002 begins in July as compared to the start of the current year budget. During FY2001, $643,798 was cut out of the budget because of the state's money woes, and Sutphin
concedes it could happen again.
The new rates will be as follows:
Out-of-country and out-of-state students will pay $1,050, an increase of $165;
Tuition for district and in-state students will be $600, up $100;
Rooms for a semester will be $455, up $75;
A five-day boarding charge will be $640, up $100. Students staying on campus seven days a week will be charged $775 per semester, which is a first-time fee;
Part-time tuition will cost $60, up $10.
East Central has had a hiring freeze on for more than a year. But the board made the following exceptions:
Brent Gregory as director of Student Life/Student Recruiter; and,
Dr. Sutphin said later the college still has six vacant slots that will not be filled.
Steve Swogetinsky is regional editor for The Meridian Star. E-mail him atsswogetinsky@themeridianstar.com.