Citizens Committee to Recommend New Facilities to Lone Star College Trustees

Citizens Committee to Recommend New Facilities to Lone Star College Trustees

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A committee of community leaders from the business, education, government and civic sectors will recommend to Lone Star College System trustees next week that the system consider building new learning facilities and infrastructure sufficient to accommodate the system’s dramatic growth.

The committee ended a two-month review of the district’s current enrollment trends by concluding the system will need to build new facilities, expand or renovate existing facilities, and update its technology infrastructure if it is to keep pace with the area’s population growth and need for a trained workforce. Attendees also said technology for student safety and security must also be a high priority for the system.

The Lone Star College System reported 49,253 students in credit classes last fall, an increase of 24,000 since passage of the system’s last bond measure in 2000. Spring semester enrollment is up 8.3% over the same period a year ago.

“The committee was very straightforward in its assessment,” said LSCS Chancellor Dr. Richard Carpenter. “We learned this community clearly understands the mission of a comprehensive community college. Leaders realize that the pace of population growth in our region will not slow in the foreseeable future, and that Lone Star College System must provide additional facilities if it is to continue meeting the need of residents and the business community.

“Even so, their recommendation is to explore every possible way to maximize use of existing resources before asking residents for permission to build new classrooms. We certainly agree, and have taken innovative steps to accommodate our dramatic growth. Our colleges are at or beyond capacity, and enrollment is growing even faster than predicted two years ago.”

After studying the needs of the district against educational and demographic trends, the committee prioritized its recommendations by college and felt system capacity needs could be met with a bond issue that would not raise the property tax rate.

The committee, convened at the request of Chancellor Carpenter and the Board of Trustees, met on four occasions over two months to prepare its recommendations.

The committee will present its findings to the system’s trustees in a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, at system offices on Research Forest Drive.

Lone Star College System consists of five colleges, including CyFair, Kingwood, Montgomery, North Harris, and Tomball, six centers and Lone Star College-University Center. It is the largest college system in the Houston area, and third largest community college district in Texas. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.
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Posted by Lestarjette, Steve on 1/20/2008 1:15:00 PM
Lone Star College System
5000 Research Forest Drive
The Woodlands TX 77381-4356
Phone 832.813.6500
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