SIC taking steps to control budget problems

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[SIC board members, faced with the same state funding problems as local governments and primary and secondary schools, started taking steps at their meeting on Tuesday to control the problem.

As state payments become more tardy and budget questions increase, the board added $6 per credit-hour to tuition for next year, raising the price from $77 to $83 per hour of classes taken. Most colleges in the region are looking at $5 to $10 increases for the next school year, according to a news release from SIC. One bright spot is enrollment is up slightly from last year and enrollment projections in the immediate future look good, the news release indicated.

Dr. Jonah Rice, interim president, and Tim Walker, vice-president of administration and business affairs, plan to go over options with the board finance subcommittee in early February. Borrowing will be part of the master plan for the college, according to the news release. The budget process was begun sooner than normal in order to get a head start on planning.

The board approved $5,000 in bond expenditures as contingency spending to complete the burn tunnel and associated water, sewer, fuel and power needs, according to the news release. Bill Moser of American Coal, who is serving as an evaluator for the burn tunnel grant, toured the tunnel recently and gave it good marks. Brochures will be sent to 400 coal mines and other agencies who could be interested in using the burn tunnel for training.

Up to $45,000 in bond expenditures was approved for purchase of a mobile firearm training unit for training of local and regional law enforcement.

Board members agreed to a few personnel moves:

- The retirement of Bill Rakes, computer information systems instructor, was accepted effective Dec. 15.

- James Davis was approved as a part-time, weekend custodian.

- Jordin McLaughlin was approved as an assistant baseball coach.

- Several adjunct faculty were employed.