Tuition and program fees at the Flint Hills Technical College will be going up for the 2010-11 school year after the board of trustees approved a hike at its meeting on Monday.
The increase comes in the face of the possible elimination of capital outlay funding in the 2011 fiscal year. Also, operating costs are on the rise and the possibility of further state cuts will continue to threaten the school’s programs.
The current tuition at the tech college is $80 per credit hour. Board members looked at three options for increases — a $5 increase per credit hour, a $7 increase and a $10 increase.
Program fees are going up partly because of an increase in the costs of materials and partly through an effort to incorporate the costs of certification for certain programs into the program, according to Lisa Kirmer, dean of student services. While some programs will see significant increases. The largest change will come in the paramedic program, which will see a $400 rise for the fourth semester because of certification requirements for the program.
Including the certification costs as part of the program fee structure will allow students to use financial aid money to cover the costs of required certification testing.
On a vote, the board agreed to increase tuition to $87 per credit hour and to raise the requested program fees. The tuition increase, based on 12,000 credits, will raise $84,000 and will mean an added $112 cost for full-time students per semester.
In other business, the board approved a contract with Emig and Associates for architectural services for the Transition House project. The contract will be for up to $30,000 and will be paid for through grants.