The Neosho County Community College Board of Trustees approved a tuition increase, a memorial garden project and several policy updates during its meeting Wednesday.
Trustees approved the consent agenda, which included minutes from the Feb. 11 meeting, February claims for disbursement, updates to job descriptions and the appointment of a division chair.
President Brian Inbody appointed Dr. Steve Yuza as chair of the Applied Science Division for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 academic years. Division chair appointments are staggered two-year terms to ensure continuity in leadership. The Liberal Arts Division chair will be selected next year.
The board also recognized personnel changes. LuAnn Hauser will retire May 31 after years of service to the college. Fathimah Bader resigned as an Adult Basic Education instructor effective March 1, and Poppy Goffin was hired as head women’s soccer coach with a start date of March 13.
In old business, trustees approved Resolution 20264 updating instructor qualification requirements in the board policy handbook. The changes primarily affect parttime and clinical nursing instructors and were recommended by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.
In new business, trustees approved Resolution 2026-5 establishing tuition and fees for the 2026-27 academic year. The approved changes include a $2 increase in tuition per credit hour and a $2 increase in the incidental fee.
Housing rates will also change depending on residence hall. The Bideau residence hall will increase by $125 per semester, NeoKan will decrease by $125 per semester, and Lafayette House will increase by $375 per semester. The college is returning to a structure where housing costs vary by facility.
NeoKan, built in the 1970s, is a traditional residence hall with a shared bathroom on each floor. Bideau, built in 2000, features suite-style rooms with bathrooms shared between two rooms. Lafayette House offers apartment-style living with two bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room.
College administrators said the tuition and fee adjustments are needed to offset rising costs, including increased employee health insurance premiums and the anticipated loss of approximately $238,000 in state Student Success funding.
Trustees also approved the college’s academic calendar for 2026 through 2029. College officials said the new procedure ensures the institution always maintains three future academic years of calendars.
The board approved a $116,104 change order for “Ruth’s Garden,” an enhanced memorial garden planned outside the Mih Family Fine Arts Center. The project expands the landscaping included in the building’s original plans and will include additional plantings, lighting, irrigation, benches, a moon gate, a water feature and a memorial monument honoring the Mih family’s late grandmother, Ruth. The project will be funded through a donation from Dr. Alex and Alison Mih.
Trustees also held the first reading of a proposed update to the college’s Family and Medical Leave Act policy. The change would clarify that full-time faculty become eligible for FMLA after their first year of employment, addressing a technical issue in which faculty schedules could fall slightly short of the federal 1,250-hour eligibility requirement.
During reports, college officials highlighted the growth of the college’s online campus, which administrators described as the second-largest campus at NCCC. The online program delivered more than 11,000 credit hours this year and serves students including working adults and individuals living outside the region and even internationally.
The college also reported partnerships with 38 Kansas high schools through its High School Opportunity Voucher program, providing discounted tuition for high school students taking college courses.
Officials said enrollment is slightly down overall this year, but participation in online coursework remains strong.
Financially, the college reported about $9 million in available funds, including roughly $1.1 million received in February through scholarships and federal financial aid distributions. Administrators said the college is currently about $800,000 ahead of where it was at the same time last year.
