College gets extra money, raises tuition
The State Regents for Higher Education recently increased state appropriations to OCCC by $6 million over last year; nevertheless, students are still looking at a 5.8 percent increase in resident tuition and 7.8 percent in non-resident tuition for the 2006-2007 school year.
The college’s share of state appropriations rose to $25 million for fiscal year 2006-2007, compared to $19 million for fiscal year 2005-2006. That is an increase of more than 30 percent.
Even so, President Paul Sechrist said, the tuition increase is needed to help keep OCCC a top-notch college.
Sechrist said it’s a given that, as college costs continue to rise, the source of revenue also must increase. Revenue sources include student tuition, he said.
“Tuition pays the operation costs of the institution,” he said. “If our sources of revenue don’t increase, the quality of what we provide will decline.”
Sechrist said when given the option to either improve quality or maintain quality, the college must choose to improve. Otherwise, he said, students aren’t getting what they deserve.
“OCCC is one of the best bargains in higher education,” he said. “We want to be able to have a well-maintained faculty and staff that encourages our students to be successful.
When reporting on the budget to the OCCC Board of Regents June 26, Donna Nance, Business and Finance vice president, said OCCC hasn’t had a budget this good since 2001.
Linda McMurtry, Finance director, said the tuition increase is one of the lowest in recent years.
Nance’s report backed that up, showing that, in 1987, state allocations were paying for 81 percent of the cost of attending OCCC, with students paying just 15 percent.
For the 2006-2007 fiscal year, state allocations will pay 56 percent of the cost of attending college while students will pay 33 percent.
The increase in state funding didn’t happen by accident, said State Representative Al Lindley (D-OKC).
He said the extra $6 million came about because the college was well represented when it came time to request the funds from the Legislature.
“Dr. Sechrist and Jerry Steward would come out here and walk the hallways,” Lindley said. “The college needed extra money and had some real needs with all the construction.
“All the delegates, both Democrat and Republican, pushed all year long for the college, since it has grown.”
Sechrist said the college needed a budget that would cover more than just basic costs.
He said it needed to also allow the college to move ahead in technological advances and some maintenance upkeep.
The main sources for the Educational and General budget come from state allocations, tuition and mandatory fees and technical district reimbursement.
Some students didn’t seem to mind the increase.
Stephanie Platt, pre-pharmacy major, said she expected the increase.
“I’m so used to it … As they increase, I don’t even realize [it],” she said.
Josh Hall, social work major, said he doesn’t mind paying more for his education.
“Education is a good thing,” he said. “If they are going to increase tuition a little bit, that’s fine with me. I think the amount is reasonable.”
Pay increase
The increase in funding also allowed for a 4.9 percent average pay raise for OCCC faculty and staff.
The raise is based on a performance formula.
Based on their performance review, OCCC faculty and staff will receive a pay increase of 2 percent, 2.5 percent or 3 percent with a flat rate of $750 added to their base salary.
Susan VanSchuyver, Arts and Humanities dean, said the pay raise will help all employees.
“Faculty pay raises are great, but (it’s) just as exciting to have … raises in the student worker salaries, and the raises for staff.
“Everybody is getting a really nice raise this year. The $750 adjustment and percentages really help out those people that are on the beginning steps at working for OCCC.”
Adjunct professors also are getting a pay raise. Adjunct salary is going from $550 per credit hour to $590 per credit hour, according to the OCCC budget.
“That is competitive with other two-year colleges in the area,” Sechrist said.
Nance reported that Tulsa Community College adjunct faculty receive $700 per credit hour and Rose State adjunct faculty receive $575 per credit hour.
Tyler Ashpaugh, sono-graphy major, felt torn on the issues of tuition increase and faculty pay raise.
“I think the tuition increase is wrong because it is high anyway,” he said.
However, he said, he understands the need for the increase.
“I do like that they are paying the teachers more, but I don’t like that students are having to pay more, especially (now) that gas is on the rise.”
The regents also approved six new faculty positions, five professional positions, and 11 hourly positions, which includes three full-time security positions.
As a direct result, six adjunct faculty positions will be eliminated.
Editor Holly Jones can be reached at editor@occc.edu.
