TEXAS CITY — The College of the Mainland Board of Trustees is expected to consider lowering tuition and fees for students displaced by Hurricane Katrina during a special meeting today.
Jim Higgins, a spokesperson for the college, said out-of-state students registered for 12 credit hours generally pay an additional $360 in tuition and fees compared to in-state students. Students are also charged less per credit hour if they live within the College of the Mainland’s taxing district, which incorporates five public school districts — Santa Fe, Hitchcock, Texas City, La Marque and Dickinson. Although Katrina victims who relocated to Galveston County cannot be charged the same rate as within-district students, said Higgins, the board will consider allowing them to pay the lower in-state tuition and fees.
“Normally out-of-state students pay $592.50 for three credit hours,” Higgins said. “The cost for those same three hours would be $413.50 for an in-state student. We had about four people from Louisiana inquire about enrollment last week.”
A public hearing on the 2005-06 proposed tax rate is also scheduled during today’s meeting. Trustees are considering a tax rate of 24.302 cents per $100 of evaluation, which is a slight decrease from the current rate of 24.525 cents. However, because appraised property values have increased, the lower rate should generate about eight percent more income than last year, said Higgins. The College of the Mainland board approved a total budget of $29,406,875 based on the proposed tax rate.
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WHAT: Special meeting of the College of the Mainland Board of Trustees.
WHEN: 6 p.m. today.
WHERE: Administration Board Room, 1200 Amburn Road in Texas City.
