The Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Area Commission has approved a $16.25 million operating budget, an increase of more than $1 million over last year’s $15.16 million budget.

President Anne Crook said the college will have approximately $700,000 available for new technology purchases. That includes $218,000 from the $4-per-credit technology fee students must pay.

The revenue projections take into account the 7.5 percent tuition increase approved in April and assumes that state funding will be the same as it was last year.

College commissioners voted Tuesday to earmark $120 per full-time-equivalent student for the plant fund for capital projects.

Crook said the budget includes $250,000 for equipment purchases and $277,000 for the state-mandated 3 percent pay increase and for incentive bonuses.

The budget also assumes that Orangeburg and Calhoun counties will increase their support this year. Crook said Calhoun County Council will consider the increase June 27.

At a Wednesday budget work session, Orangeburg County officials said OCtech had received $1.45 million last year and requested $1.57 million for the coming year. Noting that OCtech is asking for 50 percent more county funding than it received five years ago, County Administrator Bill Clark has recommended $1.5 million.

Orangeburg County Council members said Wednesday they are inclined to accept Clark’s recommendation. The actual vote on second reading of the Orangeburg County budget is scheduled for a special council meeting at 4 p.m. Friday.

President gets bonus, no raise

Crook will get no pay raise this year because she and other technical college presidents will become state agency heads on July 1 and their salaries will be approved by the State Budget and Control Board.

Legislation to that effect had stalled in both the House and Senate and was considered dead, to the relief of technical college presidents, who saw significant drawbacks to the change, Crook said.

However, late in the legislative session, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, inserted it as a provision in the state budget.

The Area Commission entered into executive session for the annual evaluation of the president.

Traditionally, it’s an occasion to set the president’s salary and establish objectives for the coming fiscal year. But the state law change means the commission will not be able to do that after July 1.

After returning to public session, the commission unanimously approved a bonus of up to $2,000 for Crook and a resolution recognizing and commending her for “an outstanding job” as president.

The resolution lauds Crook’s “tremendous ability and leadership in many different areas including Adult Education, partnerships with high schools, serving the community, working with the Legislature and county councils. ... Under her leadership, OCtech continues to expand in size and quality.”

Enrollment down, but new money may change that

Summer enrollment was 1,318, which was down about 40 from last summer, said Bobbie Felder, vice president for student services.

A fall orientation session, open house and recruiting initiative is scheduled for Wednesday, June 28. Prospective students are encouraged to visit the college cafeteria on Fridays to get help in completing their financial aid applications. Fall registration opens July 10.

Health-related classes are pretty much full, except for EMT classes, Felder said.

Crook said the Legislature has appropriated $15.85 million to expand, and increase retention in, health-related programs.

“Our share is $539,000, guaranteed,” she said. On Thursday, the college will turn in its formal proposal for spending the money.

“Our objectives are to expand nursing, practical nursing and respiratory in numbers for enrollment” and “to increase retention in all of (the programs),” Crook said.

The college will look at offering online programs which would let licensed practical nurses continue their employment while working to achieve associate’s degree nursing status, she said.

OCtech also wants to launch a Health Science Cadet program in area high schools to help students better prepare for the college’s health-related courses, she said.

$25 lab fee instituted

At the April meeting, commissioners authorized a $25 lab fee for selected courses that use a lot of expensive, consumable materials. The fee will be spent on the programs for which they are collected.

On Tuesday, commissioners received a list of the courses in which the fee will be charged. They are as follows: AHS 110 and 151; AUT 101, 103 and 241; BIO 101, 210 and 225; CHM 110 and 111; CPT 209 and 210; EET 111 and 112; EEM 115 and 116; ISA 201, 226, 245, 260 and 270; MED 115 and 116; MLT 105, 108, 120 and 230; MTT 221 and 224; NUR 101 and 212; OST 105, 110, 121, 210, 250 and 254; PHS 115/CHM 105, PNR 110; RAD 102; and WLD 106 and 111.

Except for welding, it’s unlikely a student will have two or more lab fees simultaneously, Crook said.

Adult education might expand

The college completed its first year of operating adult education in Orangeburg County with 38 graduates, of whom six are or soon will become Tech students, Crook said. Now the college has received inquiries about taking over adult education in Calhoun County.

“We’re seeing if that might be a possibility, but we have not made any promises at this point,” Crook said.

Legislative priorities

Crook introduced David Condon, the new executive director of the South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners.

Traditionally the commissioners have held a summit each July and have established a legislative agenda in January.

This year, the summit will be held Sept. 27 and “our plan is to roll out the legislative agenda for 2007” at that time, he said.

“It’s the fall when we have to plant the seeds,” Condon said. “In January, you’re already behind” other interests who are seeking state funds.

In brief

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