Lenape Nursing Tuition Rates to Increase
Lenape Practical Nursing Coordinator Kimberly Doms talks last night to Joint Operating Committee members about the $500 tuition increase necessary to accommodate rising salary, benefit and equipment costs.
by Jonathan Weaver
Students enrolling in the Lenape Practical Nursing program this Fall should budget for some additional tuition costs.
Practical Nursing Coordinator Kimberly Doms said tuition costs will rise $500 – from $14,000 to $14,500 – for more than 1,550 hours of instruction, beginning with the September class.
“With the new tuition price for this year, when you divide it down, it (costs) a little more than $9 an hour,” Doms said.
Doms said the additional tuition fee was necessary due to rising costs in line item obligations such as salaries, retirement contributions, supplies and technical support.
Full-time programs begin at the Ford City site in September and January. At the Lawrence County site, full-time students begin in October and March.
Incoming students were told to anticipate a tuition increase, but Doms said it hasn’t affected enrollment.
More than a dozen students are already enrolled for the September and October classes, respectively. Instructors aim toward teaching about 30 students per class.
Doms told Joint Operating Committee members before they voiced approval that she surveyed regional applicable schools – including practical nursing programs from technical schools such as in Clarion, Indiana and Jefferson counties – and that Lenape remains “in the mix” of other regional rates.
“I think it’s a very sound amount,” Doms said.
Doms lauded current graduation statistics – which show that 90 percent of graduates become employed.
“And the wage that they’re making supports their investment in their education,” Doms said. “From their education (at Lenape), (students) are going to have a family-sustaining wage with one year of education, and I think that’s very valuble to our students.”
In other financial decisions, eight of the nine school Joint Operating Committee members also voted last night to forward the $8.5 million 2016-17 operating budget on for a final vote from all 36 Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Freeport Area and Leechburg Area school board directors.
Cafeteria meal prices are expected to remain the same next school year.
Local News | jweaver May 20, 2016
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