SSCC board approves increases in tuition, technology fees

In split votes, the Southern State Community College Board of Trustees voted to approve an increase in technology fees beginning spring quarter and an increase in tuition for the fall semester, which will go toward offsetting an estimated $900,000 projected deficit. 

The average increase in cost between the two years is 3.6 percent.

The board also voted to increase the fees for their truck driving academy, which has been operating under a deficit, despite an estimated 17 percent in cuts to the program's budget. 

The board's finance committee met for nearly an hour Wednesday evening prior to the regularly scheduled board meeting at Southern State's Central Campus in Hillsboro to discuss the recommendations for the increases, as well as a lease contract for an $841,897 computer system that will be financed over five years. 

Board member Rory Ryan told Vice President of Business and Finance Jim Buck that in the future, he would like for information such as a pending deficit close to $1 million be put in the finance report cover letter and not just in the spreadsheets. 

"I'd like the bad news upfront," Ryan said. "You can bury the good news (in the report). I'll find it."

Buck said that he would construct the finance reports however the board members request. 

With the proposed increases, Buck said that the current revised budget reflects a balanced budget. His January 2012 report to the board “includes a 6.2-percent reduction in revenue projections and a 4.3-percent reduction in expenditures, along with an increase in the transfer from unrestricted auxiliary funds.”

The current cost per credit hour of a full-time student at 15 hours is $80.73. With the increase, the cost per credit hour for spring quarter will be $85.17. 

Southern State is converting to semesters beginning in fall 2012. 

Buck said, "The annual increase from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2012 would be 1.8 percent, and fiscal year 2012 to fiscal year 2013 increase would be 5.4 percent, for an average for the two years of 3.6 percent. Over the past 10 years, Southern State Community College has had the lowest percentage increase in the State averaging 2.67 percent, with the exception of one institution that averaged 2.44 percent. Both rates are below inflation."

Buck shared figures from the Ohio Board of Regents with the committee which showed that in approximately the past 10 years, statewide tuition has increased by 42 percent on average. SSCC’s tuition has increased 24 percent. Since 2008, tuition has increased at an average of 12 percent, and SSCC increased 7 percent, he said.

The technology fee was instituted in 1998 at $1 per credit hour, and it has not been increased since then, Buck said during the committee meeting. The college currently spends approximately $1.2 million in technology and technology support annually. If the college were to raise the fee to cover the total cost technology expenses, he said that it would have to be at least $11 per credit hour. It was recommended that the fee be raised by $4.50 per credit hour, to $5.50. 

Buck said that 11.6 percent of SSCC's total credit hours are represented through online or hybrid classes. As a comparison, the Wilmington campus has 13 percent. 

"(The online student population) is almost as large as our smallest campus," Buck said. 

Technology expenses keep growing, he said, including an estimated $57,000 a year spent with Time Warner for broadband internet access. 

Board member Doug Boedeker said that in the future, he would like to see fees like the technology fee raised incrementally so that students are not hit with a large increase at once, and other board members said they agreed. 

Buck recommended that when the board considered the proposed contract for updating the computer software, that the college could not afford it if they did not approve the technology fee. 

During the regular meeting, the board voted 8-1 to approve the technology fee, with board member Larry Anderson voting against it. 

The board voted 6-2 to increase tuition for fall semester, with Ryan and Anderson voting against it. 

The college’s last tuition increase was in May 2010 when the board voted 5-2 to implement a 7-percent tuition increase. Board members Rory Ryan and the late Ben Houser voted against the increase and also voted against accepting the fiscal year 2011 budget as presented.

SSCC President Dr. Kevin Boys said that he wanted to clarify that the tuition increase would not be going to the construction of a new facility in Brown County or Adams County and that they are two different funds. 

"I just want to make it crystal clear that this tuition increase has nothing whatsoever to do with constructing a new campus, or two new campuses," Boys said. "That is a totally separate fund, and the operation of the college has nothing to do with the bond issue that will construct the new campuses."

In November, the board voted 6-2 to approve a $3.25 million contract to purchase 63 acres to construct a $14 million Brown County campus and unanimously accepted an option for a donation agreement for 19 acres of property for an Adams County campus.

On Jan. 23, board members Vicki Wilson, Larry Anderson, Kay Ayres, Doug Boedeker, Don Moore and Leilani Popp voted on a new contract for Boys. The five-year contract includes an annual salary of $175,000, with 3-percent yearly raises, an annuity of $20,000 per year for five years, plus travel expenses.

The board voted 8-0 for the contract with Jenzabar for computer software. 

Buck said Jenzabar was the same company that provided the current system, which was installed in 1994. There is an annual maintenance fee of $85,000, compared to the current maintenance fee at $141,000. Because the system is with the same provider, Buck said the transition to the new product should not be as difficult as with other technology conversions. The system handles all of SSCC's "core" technology, Buck said, and encompasses everything except the classroom Blackboard program and email. 

Buck called the system "the engine that drives the institution" and handles student academic records, grades and transcripts, financial aid, payroll and accounts payable. Students will now be able to register online. 

The board voted 8-0 to increase the fee for the college's truck driving academy (TDA) from $3,995 to $4,800.

There currently is a year-to-date loss, according to Buck, of $108,000 in the TDA, compared to last year's year to date loss of $115,000.

During the finance committee meeting, the board had discussed concerns regarding the the deficit in which the TDA had been operating. Boys and Buck said that there are several agreements with Ohio institutions that will increase enrollment in the coming years. Currently anticipated enrollment is 310.

The increase makes the SSCC TDA fee the same as competitor Clark State Community College. Boys commended John Joy, Dean of Corporate and Community Services, and Dr. Ryan McCall, Vice President of Academic Affairs. 

Board member Paul Hall was not in attendance.