College OKs tobacco-free campus, tuition break for neighboring states

NORTH PLATTE -- Students from neighboring states will pay the same as residents, but like all students, they won't be able to use tobacco anywhere on campus or in a Mid Plains Community College Area vehicle.

After approving the tobacco-free campus policy on a 6-3 vote (with Chairwoman Elizabeth Benjamin and Roger Wilson of McCook and Glenda Hasenauer of Wallace voting no, the board of governors asked college president, Dr. Michael Chipps to create procedures and a schedule for implementation and to report back with the details.

The governors also approved offering resident tuition rates to the following Nebraska border states: Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota.

The instate tuition rate for the 2009-10 year will be $67 in tuition and $14 general student fees for a total of $81 per credit hour. This rate would exclude railroad classes and Accelerated EMT programs. This is valid for a 3-year period.

In addition, current room and meal plans will increase approximately 4.5 percent. A room and board plan with 14 meal option including Monday -- Thursday evening meals will be offered in North Plate and a room with 19-meal plan will replace the current room and board with 18-meal plan in McCook by the addition of a Sunday evening meal.

Providing those meals will be Consolidated Management Co., which received a 5-year contract to provide food service to all three major MPCC campuses.

Terms of the contract were consistent with the previous one which provides for approximately $15,000 per year to be retained by the college.

The board also approved an annual maintenance contract with information system Jenzabar for $114,095.79 for one year.

Following nearly two hours in closed session, the board approved employee contracts with both the Mid-Plains Vocational Education Association and Mid-Plains Education Association. Each two-year contract calls for an annual increase of 3.5 percent in salary and benefits.

The next meeting will be April 29 in McCook.