TRUSTEES SET TUITION FOR NEXT YEAR AT IOWA LAKES

The Board of Trustees of Iowa Lakes Community College met Tuesday afternoon and officially approved tuition and fees for the next college year.

At Tuesday’s meeting at the Spencer Campus of Iowa Lakes, the Trustees bumped tuition $6 per credit hour to $96 for the 2004-2005 college year.  Minnesota residents receive a waiver of non-resident tuition through a reciprocity agreement.  Out of state tuition and International tuition were set at $98 per credit hour.  This is the smallest tuition increase in the last four years at Iowa Lakes.  In addition, the Trustees adjusted the fees for the coming college year to reflect the needs of the individual programs. 

In other business, the Trustees approved a three-year contract which has been passed by the college’s faculty association.  It calls for a 4.5 percent total package for the coming college year with agreements for 4.75 percent for each of the two following years. 

The Iowa Lakes Report featured the Massage Therapy program which was started in January at the Spencer Campus as an evening program.  Starting this fall, daytime and evening programs will be available based on the high interest in the program.  The program emphasizes wellness.  Massage Therapy is used to enhance the general wellness and sense of well being of healthy individuals.  The curriculum is designed as a year-long program which is fairly intense.  At the conclusion of classes, students are eligible to sit for the state licensure exam. 

At the beginning of the meeting, the Trustees held two public hearings.  They decided to complete the interior of a new addition at the Algona Campus with a bid from Midstates Builders of Spencer for not quite $178,000; and accepted the bid of VerSteeg Construction of Spencer for remodeling of the former student center into the new criminal justice forensic center (on the Estherville Campus) at a cost of just over $359,000.

In other business, the Trustees approved the list of graduates as presented.  And, several reports were also given by the Trustees. 

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for Tuesday, July 20 in Emmetsburg.