Trustees Adopt Operating, Capital Budget

The Anne Arundel Community College Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved an $81,494,322 operating budget for fiscal year 2006 and a $4,657,000 capital budget. If approved with no changes by the county executive and County Council, the budgets will become effective July 1.

The operating budget does not include any increase in tuition for students. Tuition remains at $83 per credit hour for county residents, $159 for Maryland residents from other counties and $282 for out-of-state residents and foreign students.

The board approved a $3 per-credit-hour increase in educational service fees to bring those fees to $6 per credit hour effective fall 2005. The board also approved new or modified lab fees for 23 courses to provide an additional $42,310.

“I applaud the board and our budget staff for their hard work in trying to keep any increases to a minimum,” said Martha A. Smith, Ph.D., AACC president. “It is so very important for Anne Arundel Community College to remain accessible and affordable to our community.”

Operating budget revenues come primarily from three sources: the county, the state and tuition.

Included in the capital budget is funding for work on various projects, including the Administration Services Building, the Careers Center, the Pascal Center for Performing Arts’ heating and air conditioning system, deteriorated walkways, roads and parking lots and other campus improvements.

The budgets go next to the county executive for consideration and then to the County Council for action in May. For information, call Linda Schulte, AACC director of public relations and marketing, 410-777-2011.