Board examines tuition waiver usage
By Maggie Rhynes
IV Leader Staff
The Board of Trustees decided recently to take a closer look
at the cost and usage of student tuition waivers.
Student tuition waivers are awarded to students who display
athletic talent or academic leadership.
Information was compiled and presented to board members at
the November board meeting. Figures show that in fiscal year 2005, a total of
205 tuition waivers were awarded for athletics and academic leadership combine,
for a total of $156,599.65.
Board Member David Mallory expressed concern over the number of students per
activity who were receiving tuition waivers saying, “Looking at the number of
students participating in an activity it looks like everyone must be getting a
tuition waiver.”
Mallory made reference specifically to baseball, which gave 22 waivers in the
spring.
However, it was noted that the validity of the numbers will
require further consideration, as tuition waivers which are not used during the
fall semester can be rolled over to the following semester, perhaps explaining
the high number of waivers.
The board noted that a policy set in place years ago mandate that 75 percent of
the tuition waivers issued must be to in-district students. The remaining 25
percent may be awarded to out-of-district students.
Once awarded a tuition waiver, students must maintain a 2.00
grade point average or forfeit the waiver for the following semester.
In a memorandum to the board Interim President Charles Novak
stated, “All of these programs are more to the college than money. To the
student, whether they are involved in arts, athletics or other activities, these
programs have value. The students who are affected or involved in these
programs would probably say they are worth more than $294,193.”
At the recommendation of Novak, board members, coaches and
activity advisors now plan to speak with students who received waivers and
determine the worth of the waiver program. Those involved will seek to
determine student’s reasons for participating in activities, the value they get
from participating, how many students receiving tuition waivers are on honors
lists and several other factors.
Novak noted the staff will be doing a lot of research to
answer questions about the tuition waiver program.
Novak advised the board, “These things are not to be taken lightly and when you
make a decision it needs to be a good one.”
The Board will discuss the matter further at the December
board meeting which will be held December 28.