College to freeze tuition, fees

The Flathead Valley Community College board of trustees has decided to freeze tuition and fees for the 2013-14 academic year.

The board at its regular meeting Monday approved a recommendation from President Jane Karas to forego increasing tuition or existing fees next year, according to a news release from the college. 

Trustees also approved a new, mandatory $45-per-semester fee for students taking seven or more credits.

This fee will provide students access to basic health-care services through the college’s new student health center that will open this fall in the new Rebecca Chaney Broussard Center for Nursing and Health Sciences. 

Students taking four to six credits will have the option to pay the fee to have access to medical services.

Karas explained that the $45 fee will be possible for the next several years because of a gift from an anonymous private donor who wants to help keep basic health services affordable for FVCC students.

In other business at Monday’s meeting:

v Karas recognized engineering student Tanner Morrison for receiving the New Century Scholar Award. 

The award recognizes one outstanding community college student from each state. 

As the top-scoring student from Montana, Morrison was presented with the $2,000 scholarship and award at the Phi Theta Kappa Annual Convention in San Jose, Calif., earlier this month.

Following graduation from FVCC this spring, Morrison will transfer to Montana State University in Bozeman to continue his studies in mechanical engineering.

v Student Government Sophomore Senator Robert Putnam announced the college’s Alpha Iota Pi Chapter Phi Theta Kappa will host a Relay for Life on May 1 to benefit the American Cancer Society.

v FVCC Logger Sports team captain Austin Styler presented a team update. The team outscored The University of Montana, University of Idaho and Spokane Community College to win the team title at FVCC’s Stumpjumper Days home competition on April 20. 

The team also traveled to Missoula for the 74th annual Association of Western Forestry Clubs Conclave and placed third out of nine teams. 

The team will conclude its season May 11 by giving free demonstrations at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Family Forestry Expo near Columbia Falls.

v Scholars Program students Tanner Morrison, Louis Grisez, Andrew Hart and John Allen Osborne reported on their recent research presentations at two regional conferences.