Published: June 17, 2009 11:24 pm         

Tuition, fees at NOC will not increase

Northern Oklahoma College Board of Regents will not raise tuition and fees for the 2009-10 school year.

Bill Johnson, public relations director at NOC Tonkawa, said the unanimous decision by the regents came after a conference among college presidents in Oklahoma and the chancellor of higher education.

“The colleges agreed not to raise tuition if they received the funding they requested,” Johnson said.

College leaders agreed in November to freeze tuition and mandatory fees if lawmakers agreed to allocate at least $80 million in new funding to higher education. The final allocation for higher education actually was higher by about 3 percent, because of nearly $70 million in stimulus money.

“We are not increasing fees or tuition next year,” said Ed Vineyard Jr., NOC Enid vice president. “We recognize everyone is suffering, and why raise tuition now? You can go to college this year for the same amount as last year.”

Tuition and fees at NOC Enid for the fall semester will be $88.35 per credit hour. NOC is nearing the end of its first summer session and will begin the second session June 29. Enrollment is open for that session.

Northwestern Oklahoma State University also will not increase tuition this year.

During their meeting, NOC regents also awarded the bid for remodeling the Zollars Building to Diversified Construction. The contract also includes remodeling restrooms in the administration building and the Marshall Building. Diversified’s bid was $1,149,000. Funds will come from bond money.

Lynn Smith was elected chairman of the board for the 2009-10 year.