The Paris Junior College Board of Regents received good news about PJC’s continued value in comparison to 22 other medium-sized Texas colleges. The report shows that the graduation rate at PJC is much higher than the average, validating the college’s years of work to improve student success and completion.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) also showed PJC again outperforms peer colleges in cost of attendance and graduation and transfer rates. Cost of attending PJC for an academic year, including tuition and fees, is $1,548 compared to the average of $2,221.
Reflecting regional demographics, more PJC students (86 percent) are on some form of financial aid compared to the average of 68 percent, and more use PELL grants (69 percent) compared to the average of 47 percent.
PJC also demonstrates greater efficiency, with less spent on full time employees in core expense categories than peers in instruction ($3,785 to $5,155), academic support ($535 to $931) and institutional support ($1,084 to $1,959).
In other business, the Regents:
- Approved an annexation order temporarily assigning four regents to represent Lamar County precincts not yet included in an election. Assigned were Jim Bell to Precinct 1; Berdie Gibson to Precinct 2; Dr. Cliff Wilkerson to Precinct 3; and Charles Lynch to Precinct 4. The assignments will be in place until redistricting and elections to be held in either May or November 2018.
- Approved local charitable giving through the United Way by opting out of the State Employee Charitable Contribution Campaign, meaning that donations collected locally will remain local.
- Extended the depository contract with Guaranty Bank for an additional two years, per a state law requirement for bidding in odd-numbered years, but also providing the option to extend the contract if all conditions remain the same, which was the case here.
- Approved course fee changes for Summer 2016.
- Approved course fee changes for Fall 2017.
- Approved workforce dual credit course supply fees.
- Approved modification of DEC (Local) Leaves and Absences and DED (Local) Vacations and Holidays. As PJC moves to the new Jenzabar ERP system, the old system of days will be exchanged for a system of hours to accrue various types of leave. The amounts remain unchanged, only the methods of recording have changed.
- Received a report on the PJC 2015-2016 Cost Analysis by Program.
- Learned that the PJC Memorial Foundation Scholarship Allocation for 2017-2018 will be $1 million.
- Accepted 2017-18 faculty contracts, the reassignment of Stephanie Parker as Director of Nursing, effective Feb. 13, and the retirement of Electronics Instructor Rickey McFadden effective May 12.
