Three Rivers trustees study tuition increase

Daily American Republic

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Three Rivers Community College Board of Trustees met this week to consider three, three-year-tuition plans that would increase tuition fees to cover a projected shortfall in state funding for Fiscal 2003.

According to projections, state funding will decrease $229,312 next year, which helps set up a total projected shortfall of $539,037 for the college.

Anticipated new expenses for 2003 total $374,725, and include $118,000 for an expected increase in employee health insurance, $98,700 in salary increases, and a $95,025 increase in athletic housing.

Tuition plans for years 2003, 2004 and 2005 were for a $4 increase a credit-hour each year, and two for a $3 increase a credit-hour each year, with one of these having a higher out-of-district fee.

The $4 plan would increase in-district fees from $46 to $50 a credit-hour in 2003; out-of-district fees would increase from $74 to $80 a credit-hour and out-of-state fees would drop from $148 to $100.

The $4 a credit-hour increase is projected to bring in an additional $520,000 in Fiscal 2003, and the two $3 increases were projected to bring in $465,000 and $412,000 for Fiscal 2003.