Important Notes - May Board of Trustees Meeting
CWI Board of Trustees
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) is governed by an elected, volunteer, five-member board of trustees.
News Highlights
College of Western Idaho to Increase Student Tuition and Fees
$3 per-credit-hour increase to supplement budget shortfall
On Tuesday (May 17) the College of Western Idaho (CWI) Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $3 per-credit-hour tuition and fees rate increase for credit seeking students in its service district. Beginning this fall semester students will pay $139 per credit hour, up from $136. It is the first tuition and fees rate increase at CWI since 2011. The increase will support the College’s operating budget for the coming year.
CWI has three primary sources of revenue: tuition and fees, property taxes, and state appropriations. Currently, the College’s tuition and fees are nearly half the cost of Idaho’s public universities, the property tax levy rate is $16.63 compared to Idaho’s other community colleges with levy’s ranging from $95-$112 per $100,000, and state funding for CWI is 61 percent of the average of Idaho’s other community colleges based on full-time equivalent student enrollment.
CWI’s modest increase of 2.2 percent is aligned with the State Board of Education’s 2 to 3 percent approved tuition and fees increase for Idaho’s public four-year higher education institutions.
“The decision did not come easy for the Board,” said Mary Niland, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “We have held our tuition for the last four years, but with increasing costs to operations the College has limited funding options to support superior quality of instruction. We must maintain the quality of our programs to properly prepare students for the careers of the 21st century. The Board’s decision on tuition and fees rate increase is based projections in property tax revenues and state appropriations, anticipated enrollment for the coming year, and most significantly the requirements of support services to maintain high quality education for our students. CWI will continue to operate as lean as possible to continue providing affordable, quality teaching and learning opportunities.”
Board Considering Bond Measure
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Board of Trustees are considering a bond measure that would be on the November 2016 ballot. The bond would support the College’s capital development plans for two buildings and infrastructure on the Nampa Campus and a building and infrastructure on the Ada County Campus in Boise.
Since the first class offerings in 2009, CWI’s enrollment has skyrocketed to now serving more than 20,000 students every year. To keep up with the demand, the College has assumed several leased buildings in business complexes located in Boise and Nampa costing more than $2Million a year. The Treasure Valley has the largest population concentration in Idaho and projections completed by COMPASS indicate the population could double by year 2040.
CWI has three primary sources of revenue: tuition and fees, property taxes, and state appropriations. Currently, the College’s tuition and fees are nearly half the cost of Idaho’s public universities, the property tax levy rate is $16.63 compared to Idaho’s other community colleges with levy’s ranging from $95-$112 per $100,00, and state funding for CWI is 61 percent of the average of Idaho’s other community colleges based on full-time equivalent student enrollment.
“As the largest serving community college in Idaho, CWI needs funding support to expand into permanent facilities that will serve the valley now and into the future,” states Mary Niland, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “CWI will continue to operate as lean as possible to continue providing affordable, quality teaching and learning opportunities for our students. The long-term viability of CWI is imperative for the Treasure Valley.”
No dollar amount has been finalized. The Board will review additional information in their June meeting. The development of programs at each campus locations along with the mix of online training will be programmed with input from people throughout the community. CWI is programming to help Idaho meet the goal of 60 percent of Idahoans age 25-34 attaining a certificate or degree.
Trustees Approve Proposed Zone Map
On Tuesday (May 17) in their regularly scheduled May board meeting, College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Board of Trustees reviewed and approved a proposed zone map to comply with a new state law, House Bill 512, which requires Idaho’s community colleges to divide their respective taxing districts into five zones nearly equal in population as practicable. The proposed trustee zones will now be provided to the State Board of Education for final consideration in their June meeting.
In the April Trustee meeting, the CWI Board was presented three options by the College’s Geographic Information Systems and Geography Faculty member, Bryan Krouse, based on 2010 census data for Ada and Canyon Counties. The Board selected one option that provided the best representation of the communities they serve. Trustees shared its top option with the public to gather feedback on the proposed Trustee Zone for CWI. Based on feedback, the Board made slight modifications to better align with voter precincts.
