Frequently Asked Questions Booklet

EARLY VOTING:
Monday, Oct. 21, 2013
through
Friday, Nov. 1, 2013
ELECTION DAY:
Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013
Frequently Asked
Questions and Answers
About STC and the Bond
and Maintenance Election
Changing Lives, Changing Communities
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is an election necessary?......................................................................................................................................................................................2
Can the State pay for construction at STC?...............................................................................................................................................................2
Can STC ask the State to fund construction?............................................................................................................................................................2
Why are local taxpayers being asked to fund new construction for STC?............................................................................................................2
What are the voters being asked to vote for?.............................................................................................................................................................3
Can STC hold an election to transfer tax funds from bond approved construction
projects to maintenance and operation funding?.....................................................................................................................................................3
Do Taxpayers in Starr County pay the same tax rate as taxpayers in Hidalgo County?......................................................................................3
Will senior citizens and the disabled pay increased property taxes for STC?.......................................................................................................3
What will be constructed with the money?...............................................................................................................................................................4
Is there any method other than a voter approved Bond and Maintenance tax increase in property
taxes to fund the student enrollment growth at STC?..............................................................................................................................................5
What did STC do with the money approved by the voters in 2001?......................................................................................................................5
What has happened to the STC tax rate since 2001?................................................................................................................................................5
Can the tax rate be increased after voters approve it? .............................................................................................................................................5
What is STC’s bond rating?..........................................................................................................................................................................................5
Will any of the money be used to pay for administrative costs?.............................................................................................................................5
How will the community benefit from the expansion of STC?...............................................................................................................................5
Why will STC continue to grow so rapidly?..............................................................................................................................................................6
How is STC funded?.....................................................................................................................................................................................................6
What will it cost taxpayers?..........................................................................................................................................................................................6
What is a general obligation bond for STC and how long will it be funded?........................................................................................................7
How will the bonds be paid?........................................................................................................................................................................................7
What happens after the bonds are paid off?..............................................................................................................................................................7
What is the maintenance and operations tax used for?............................................................................................................................................7
How long will it take to build the new buildings funded by bond construction?................................................................................................7
What happens if the election fails?..............................................................................................................................................................................7
What is a community college?.....................................................................................................................................................................................8
What kind of degrees does STC offer?........................................................................................................................................................................8
What programs does STC offer?..................................................................................................................................................................................8
Does STC offer remedial courses?...............................................................................................................................................................................9
Has the STC enrollment of students in Remedial Courses changed since the college was established?...............................................................9
Why does STC serve students who need remediation?............................................................................................................................................9
How do STC students perform at universities when they transfer?.......................................................................................................................9
How do STC students perform on the job?...............................................................................................................................................................9
How many workers does STC train for local companies?.......................................................................................................................................9
Does STC serve students from Mexico?.................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Does STC have campuses outside of McAllen?...................................................................................................................................................... 10
Does STC have a Master Plan?................................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Can STC divide the plan into stages and have two smaller bond elections?...................................................................................................... 10
Will the money be spent as promised?.................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Does the Master Plan take into account the many students who will be taking classes on the
Internet or via online distance learning?................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Does the Master Plan take into account the many dual enrollment students who are taking classes
at their local high school?.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Will all the facilities be ADA accessible?................................................................................................................................................................. 11
How does STC spend its budget?............................................................................................................................................................................. 11
Why doesn’t STC raise student tuition to pay for the construction?................................................................................................................... 11
How does STC’s current tax rate compare to local public school districts for 2012?........................................................................................ 11
What is the current tax rate for STC?...................................................................................................................................................................... 11
What will the new tax rate be?.................................................................................................................................................................................. 12
What is the role of eSTC as a virtual campus? ....................................................................................................................................................... 12
Will eSTC reduce the need for on campus facilities?............................................................................................................................................ 12
What is dual enrollment?.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
What is the cost of tuition and fees for dual enrollment?..................................................................................................................................... 12
Since some dual enrollment programs are offered at the public school site, is there a need for
additional facilities by the College?.......................................................................................................................................................................... 12
What will be the impact to dual enrollment without the successful passage of the election to support
the maintenance and operation of the program and the funding for additional facilities?............................................................................. 13
How will the merger of UTPA and UTB and the establishment of a medical school impact STC?................................................................ 13
Why is an election necessary?
STC enrollment has increased by 147% since the
2001 bond election twelve years ago. Fall 2001
enrollment was 12,472, students and increased to
30,824 in Fall 2012. STC cannot accommodate the
growth in student enrollment without additional
classrooms, science and health care teaching labs,
and technical training facilities in Hidalgo and Starr
counties.
The voters in both counties must approve the
issuance of bonds to finance the construction
before STC can move forward with the issuance
of construction bonds. Additionally, the voters
of both counties must approve an increase in the
maintenance and operation tax rate, which will be
used to fund the increased operational costs for
the college to accommodate the expansion of new
facilities, growth in student enrollment, new faculty,
expanded programs, and operation of the facilities.
Can the State pay for construction at STC?
No. Texas law specifies that construction costs for
community colleges are the responsibility of local
taxpayers. A bond election approved by local voters
is the only option for South Texas College to fund
the construction and equipping of additional needed
facilities.
Can STC ask the State to fund construction?
Unlike other higher education institutions, by
state law, Texas community colleges must use local
tax dollars to fund the construction of facilities
and the maintenance/operation of these facilities.
State dollars are restricted to funding the costs of
instruction to students.
Why are local taxpayers being asked to fund new
construction for STC?
By state law, STC cannot use state or local tax funds
to pay for the construction and operation of new
facilities without local voter approval. Local voters
must approve the issuance of general obligation
bonds to fund new construction for STC and must
approve an increase in the local tax rate to fund the
maintenance and operation costs of new facilities.
2
What are the voters being asked to vote for?
The voters of Hidalgo and Starr counties are being
asked to vote on two propositions:
• Proposition #1: The issuance of $159,028,940
million in 20-year general obligation bonds to fund
the construction and equipping of new classrooms,
science and health care training labs, technical training
facilities and student support services at all the College’s
campuses. A tax rate increase of one-half cent, will be
necessary to fund the general obligation bonds for the
construction of equipping of new facilities.
• Proposition #2: A three-cent increase in the annual
tax rate to pay for the increased maintenance and
operation costs associated with the operation of the
new facilities, growth in student enrollment, new
faculty, and expanded programs.
Can STC hold an election to transfer tax funds from
bond approved construction projects to maintenance
and operation funding?
No. STC has a maximum tax rate for maintenance
and operation and cannot be increased without voter
approval. Community Colleges do not have the same
legislative authority as do public school districts to
perform tax swaps even with voter approval.
Do Taxpayers in Starr County pay the same tax rate
as taxpayers in Hidalgo County?
Yes. Taxpayers in both Hidalgo and Starr counties
pay the same tax rate. Currently, the maintenance
and operation tax rate to fund South Texas College
is 11 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for both
counties and 4 cents to pay the debt service on bonds
for the previous construction of facilities. The College
is proposing to increase the tax rate for construction
bonds by ½ cent and to increase the tax rate by 3 cents
for the maintenance and operation of the new facilities
and the growth in student enrollment.
Will senior citizens and the disabled pay increased
property taxes for STC?
No. STC has frozen property taxes for senior citizens
over the age of 65 and the disabled who have filed the
proper exemption forms with the appropriate county
Tax Office in Hidalgo and/or Starr county. Seniors
and the Disabled with the proper tax exemption will
not pay increased taxes to support STC even if the
requested tax increase is approved by the voters.
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What will be constructed with the money?
The $159,028,940 million in bonds will be used to pay for the construction and equipping of 564,548 sq. ft. of new
classrooms, science and health care teaching labs, and technical training facilities at all STC locations. Renovation of
some existing space, parking lots, roadways and infrastructure are included.
Pecan Campus - McAllen
Construct North academic classroom building for student enrollment growth
Construct South academic classroom building for student enrollment growth
Construct STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) building
Construct multi-purpose area for student support services and activities
$17,296,899
$11,292,888
$16,018,393
$10,434,690
$55,042,870
Subtotal
Nursing & Allied Health Campus - McAllen
Construct major campus expansion for new and expanded nursing and allied health professional training
programs, hospital simulation center, and library
$24,015,721
Subtotal
$24,015,721
Technology Campus - McAllen
Expand technical and workforce training facilities for expanded and new programs in response to local
employment opportunities
$15,642,496
Subtotal
$15,642,496
Mid-Valley Campus - Weslaco
Construct health professions, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and academic
program related classrooms and labs
$24,024,365
Expand facilities for:
• Workforce training for high-wage, high-demand employment
• Library
• Student advising and student services
$10,162,904
Subtotal
$34,187,269
Starr County Campus - Rio Grande City
Construct Health Professions and Science Center with classrooms and labs to offer nursing and allied
health programs and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs
$14,440,646
Expand technical workforce training facilities for high-wage, high-demand employment opportunities
$2,733,748
Construct new library and renovate existing area for Cultural Arts Center
$3,118,929
Expand student services, advising, admissions, and financial services building
$2,101,815
Expand student activities building
$2,069,447
Subtotal
$24,464,584
Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence - Pharr
Establish Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence to provide regional law enforcement and public
safety training
$4,240,000
Subtotal
$4,240,000
STC Teaching Site (Jimmy Carter Early College High School) - La Joya
Develop STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) labs and entry level workforce training
programs
$1,436,000
Subtotal
$1,436,000
TOTAL
$159,028,940
Note: project costs are preliminary and include related parking, utilities, site work, computer technology, fixtures, furniture,
equipment and fees for design.
SUBJECT TO FINAL APPROVAL BY THE STC BOARD OF TRUSTEES
4
Is there any method other than a voter approved
Bond and Maintenance tax increase in property
taxes to fund the student enrollment growth at STC?
No. There is no other option available to STC to fund
the construction of new classrooms, labs, and facilities
to accommodate student enrollment growth. Voters in
Hidalgo and Starr counties must approve the increase
of general obligation bonds to fund the construction of
new facilities and must approve a tax increase to fund
operating the new facilities.
What did STC do with the money approved by the
voters in 2001?
The voters approved $98.7 million in bonds to fund
new construction for STC at all five campuses. The
College spent $98.7 million from the bond proceeds
and $6 million in interest earned for a total of $104.7
million. The expenditures included construction,
design fees, site development, equipment, technology,
furniture and fixtures, and program management at
each campus.
What has happened to the STC tax rate since 2001?
The voters approved a maximum tax rate of 11 cents
for the maintenance and operation of the College. This
tax provided approximately $32,560,137 or 24.2% of
the cost to operate the College each year. The tax rate
for the bonds has been reduced seven (7) times since
the 2002 tax year, for a tax reduction of 2.69 cents. This
reduction in the rate was possible because the assessed
property valuation has increased. The maintenance
and operation tax rate has remained at 11 cents.
Can the tax rate be increased after voters approve it?
No. Once approved by voters, the maintenance and
operation tax rate will remain the same and cannot be
increased without voter approval. The tax rate required
to pay off the bonds in future years may be decreased
over the next few years as the counties’ assessed
property valuation increases.
What is STC’s bond rating?
STC is proud to have a AA-/Positive rating with
Standard and Poor and a Aa2 rating with Moody.
Will any of the money be used to pay for administrative
costs?
No. None of the money will be used to pay for
administrative costs. The three-cent increase in the
maintenance and operations tax rate will generate
approximately $8.7 million a year. This money will be
used to pay for the cost of operating the new facilities,
developing new programs, hiring additional faculty,
and serving the anticipated enrollment of 42,000
students by the year 2020.
How will the community benefit from the expansion
of STC?
Expanding STC will contribute to the economic
growth and development of the region. Education is
the “great social and economic equalizer” and access
to quality affordable higher education is crucial.
There is a direct relationship among the level of
education, potential salaries, and the quality of life of
a community’s residents. A skilled workforce is the
fuel that will continue to drive the Valley’s economic
growth. The bond issue will provide the classrooms,
teaching labs, new programs, and technical training
facilities so that South Texas College may continue to
prepare students for direct entry into the workforce
and for transfer to the university. South Texas College
is asking the community to invest in the college so
students and their future families may be prepared
to fully participate as productive and contributing
taxpayers with an increased quality of life.
5
Why will STC continue to grow so rapidly?
STC serves Hidalgo and Starr counties which have
grown by almost 200,000 people during the last
decade. Furthermore, the Texas State Data Center at
A&M University predicts the two counties will grow
by an additional 200,000 people in the next 10 years.
The Data Center projects a 78.3% increase in the
Valley population over the next twenty-five years. The
current enrollment projections for STC are based on
these projections.
PROJECTED STUDENT ENROLLMENT GROWTH:
FALL 2011 TO FALL 2020
Year
Percentage
of Increase
Student
Enrollment
# Of Students
Representing
Increase
Fall 2013
3.0%
31,749
925
Fall 2014
3.0%
32,701
952
Fall 2015
3.0%
33,682
981
Fall 2016
3.0%
34,693
1,011
Fall 2017
4.9%
36,393
1,700
Fall 2018
4.9%
38,176
1,783
Fall 2019
4.9%
40,046
1,870
Fall 2020
4.9%
42,009
1,963
How is STC funded?
STC is funded from three primary revenue sources:
SOURCE
State appropriations based
on enrollment
Local taxes
Student tuition and fees
Other sources, such as interest
What will it cost taxpayers?
% OF TOTAL
FUNDING
28.2%
24.2%
43.2%
4.4%
The total additional cost to the taxpayers of Hidalgo
and Starr counties will be:
• One half cent additional tax to fund the construction
and equipping of $159,028,940 in new classrooms,
science and health care training labs, and technical
training facilities at all STC locations.
• Three cents additional tax to fund the operation of
the college to accommodate the growth in student
enrollment, cost of operating the new facilities, new
6
faculty, and developing new and expanded programs.
• Senior citizens sixty-five and older and the disabled
will not pay increased taxes to support STC even if
the tax increase is approved by the voters, because
STC has frozen all tax increases for senior citizens
and the disabled.
The total additional tax is three and one-half cents per
$100 of assessed value of a home or property. The following table represents the monthly and yearly
cost to property owners based on the assessed value of
the taxable property.
3 ½ Cents TOTAL ADDITIONAL TAX RATE
per $100 ASSESSED VALUATION
If the value of your
Per Month
taxable property is
$50,000
$1.46
$100,000
$2.92
$150,000
$4.38
$200,000
$5.83
Per Year
$17.50
$35.00
$52.50
$70.00
What is a general obligation bond for STC and how
long will it be funded?
A bond is a promissory note that is sold to investors to
finance the construction of new facilities. The general
obligation bond process is similar to a home mortgage.
The College will seek the lowest available interest rate,
which is currently at the lowest rate in over 30 years
and will pay off the bonds over a 20-year term.
How will the bonds be paid?
The one-half cent additional tax rate will be used to
pay the annual principal and interest payment on the
bonds for the next 20 years.
What happens after the bonds are paid off?
The tax to fund the principal and interest payment on
the bonds will cease and taxpayers will no longer be
charged the tax rate in subsequent years.
What is the maintenance and operations tax used
for?
This local property tax funds approximately 24.2% of
the money used to operate STC. The money is used
to pay a wide variety of costs such as student services
(which include counseling, advising, and other services
to students), institutional support (which includes
the business office, personnel office, technology,
security, and other services used by the entire college),
maintenance and operation of facilities, and other
expenses required to operate STC.
How long will it take to build the new buildings
funded by bond construction?
STC already has a well-prepared Campus Development
Master Plan and construction would begin within one
year of approval by the voters. Construction would be
completed in approximately three years.
Under Federal regulations, 85% of the bond proceeds
must be spent within three years from the closing date
of the sale of the bonds.
What happens if the election fails?
STC will be forced to limit enrollment and deny access
to thousands of students throughout Hidalgo and Starr
counties. Students will be denied the opportunity to
7
attend college as well as the opportunity to prepare for
high-skill and high-wage jobs in the community. The
college will have to turn away students as the Valley
grows and demand for higher education continues to
increase. According to the master planning firm of
Freese & Nichols, current STC student enrollment has
already exceeded the college’s physical capacity with its
current buildings.
What is a community college?
Community colleges are a unique American innovation
and have a long history. Although the first community
colleges existed at the turn of the 20th century, it was
not until after WWII that community colleges began
to spread across the country to accommodate the
large number of returning soldiers who wanted the
opportunity to attend college or to pursue workforce
technical training.
Education is the “great social and economic equalizer”
in this country and the 1,200 community colleges
located throughout the U.S. serve as the “institution of
opportunity” for more than half of the college students
in the nation. This is also true in Texas, where the 50
community college districts enroll 750,000 students
representing 55% of all students attending Texas public
higher education.
Community colleges can positively impact a region
by raising the educational attainment level through
quality and affordable degrees and certificates. The
mission of community colleges and that of STC
includes a commitment to:
• Serve students through open admissions and
enrollment;
• Provide students access to certificates of completion,
associate degrees, and in unique cases, specialized
baccalaureate degrees, leading to employment within
the region, or for transfer to universities;
• Provide students with a strong foundation in the
core curriculum and specialized fields of study that
prepares them for transfer to a university;
• Meet the needs and demands of local business and
industry by preparing graduates with the education,
skills, and training needed to add value to their
company, or organization;
• Provide an environment for continuing education
and life-long learning to regions and communities.
8
What kind of degrees does STC offer?
STC offers two-year Associate of Arts, and Associate
of Science degrees in academic areas that transfer to
universities, which are comparable to the first two
years of a university Bachelor’s degree. STC also offers
the two-year Associate of Applied Science degree
which prepares students to enter the workforce in
applied fields such as nursing, allied health, business,
and technology. One-year certificates are also offered
to prepare students for direct entry into the workforce.
In addition, STC authorized to offer up to five
Bachelors of Applied Technology degrees in response
to the workforce needs of local employers and currently
offers Bachelor degrees in Computer & Information
Technologies, Technology Management, Medical and
Health Services Management, and Organizational
Leadership.
What programs does STC offer?
STC offers over 112 associate degree and certificate
programs leading to employment, or transfer to a
university. STC also offers the Bachelor of Applied
Technology in Technology Management, Computer
Information and Technologies, and Medical and Health
Services Management. In addition, in Fall 2013, STC
will begin offering the Bachelor of Applied Science in
Organizational Leadership. For a complete listing of
programs, please visit the following website: http://
www.southtexascollege.edu/academics/degcerts/
index.html
Does STC offer remedial courses?
Texas state law requires all students entering Texas
colleges or universities to demonstrate or test that
they are college ready in English, Math, and Reading.
Students pursuing an associate degree and who are not
college ready in any of the three areas must be enrolled
in a developmental course until they become college
ready. STC is an open admissions institution and must
accept any student with an accredited high school
diploma or a GED.
Due to a variety of reasons, not all students are prepared
for college; however, they can be as successful as other
students with additional help. STC prepares these
students to participate fully in society, compete in
today’s economy, and succeed in tomorrow’s workforce.
Has the STC enrollment of students in Remedial
Courses changed since the college was established?
Yes, the enrollment in remedial courses has decreased
steadily as overall enrollment at STC has increased by
140% between 2001 and 2012. In fall of 2001, 41% of all
enrolled students were enrolled in at least one remedial
course. By fall of 2012, only 17% of all enrolled students
were in remedial courses.
Why does STC serve students who need remediation?
Texas law requires that STC accept all students with a
high school diploma or a GED and as a community
college, STC has a moral and legal responsibility to
assist students in need of remediation. STC has helped
thousands of students who would otherwise have
been denied the opportunity to become productive,
contributing tax-paying members of the community.
How do STC students perform at universities when
they transfer?
STC students who transfer to a university perform as
well as other students who begin at a university. As of
Fall 2012, 13,014 students who previously attended
STC were enrolled at UTPA and doing well with
an average overall GPA of 2.68. In addition, 67% of
the students graduating from UTPA in May 2012
previously attended STC, transferred to UTPA, and
completed their Bachelor degree.
How do STC students perform on the job?
STC students do extremely well in the workplace and on
the job. Follow-up studies have found a 95% employer
satisfaction with STC graduates and employers are
enthusiastic about hiring additional STC graduates.
How many workers does STC train for local
companies?
STC is the leader in job training for local companies
and employers in the area. STC has trained over 17,000
workers and provides customized training in response
to the needs of employers. This training is funded
by the Texas Workforce Commission through Skills
Development Fund grants and these students are not
counted in STC’s enrollment of almost 31,000 students.
STC provides state of the art preparation for entry
into the workforce in over 112 Associate Degree
and Certificate programs. Courses and training
opportunities are also designed for students of all ages
and from all walks of life through STC’s Continuing,
Professional, and Workforce Education program to
help upgrade the skill level of the workforce. Courses
are designed to help those who want to upgrade their
skills, change careers, or seek personal enrichment.
STC is able to meet the needs of experienced workers
9
at different stages in their careers and also of those
who are entering the workforce. Job skills training is
available for employees seeking to retool, retrain, or
simply to broaden their skills to remain competitive in
the job market.
Access to a skilled workforce is a major factor for
companies considering relocating or expanding their
current operations.
Does STC serve students from Mexico?
STC was created to serve students from Hidalgo and
Starr counties. Students who do not reside in Hidalgo
or Starr counties must pay out-of-district tuition.
Students from Mexico who are not Texas residents or
residents of Hidalgo or Starr county pay even higher
out-of-state tuition, which is three times as much as
students from Hidalgo or Starr counties. There has
been a common misunderstanding that STC is growing
because of students from Mexico. This is not the case.
Fewer than 1% of the students enrolled at STC are nonresidents of Hidalgo and Starr counties.
Does STC have campuses outside of McAllen?
Yes. STC is a two-county district serving all of Hidalgo
and Starr counties. Consequently, STC has made the
commitment to be conveniently located and accessible
to all residents of Hidalgo and Starr counties. As
a result, campuses have been established outside
of McAllen (Hidalgo County) in Rio Grande City
(Starr County) and Weslaco (Hidalgo County) to be
conveniently accessible to students from both Hidalgo
and Starr counties.
Does STC have a Master Plan?
Yes. STC hired the firm of Freese and Nichols to prepare
a Campus Development Master Plan to the Year 2020.
The Master Plan projects that STC should expect
student enrollment to increase to 42,000 students by
2020 and identifies the facilities needed to serve the
projected enrollment.
Can STC divide the plan into stages and have two
smaller bond elections?
The facilities usage study conducted by Freese and
Nichols, confirms that the need for expanded
10
classrooms and technical training facilities is long
overdue. Currently, STC operates with only 66% of
the facilities required to accommodate the current
enrollment. Currently, 45 portable buildings with two
classrooms in each portable are located on the five
College campuses. The number of portables will need
to double to accommodate the anticipated enrollment
expected by 2020.
Will the money be spent as promised?
Absolutely! Once a bond and tax maintenance election
is passed, STC is committed to construct the projects
presented to the voters. In 2001, voters approved $98.7
million in construction for new facilities and an 11cent tax rate for the maintenance and operation of the
College. The College has developed five campuses, a
virtual campus, and now serves almost 31,000 credit
students per semester, all thanks to the voter-approved
funding.
Does the Master Plan take into account the many
students who will be taking classes on the Internet or
via online distance learning?
Yes. While STC has developed eSTC, a virtual campus
to provide state of the art online learning, the Master
Plan takes into account that a great number of students
will continue to utilize many of the on campus facilities
and services at the campuses. In addition, the students
enrolled in online courses will still require faculty and
technology (especially computer labs) on the College
campuses. Furthermore, although online learning is
extremely popular, it is not suited for all students, and
a significant number of students will continue to enroll
in courses offered throughout the college’s physical
campuses.
Does the Master Plan take into account the many
dual enrollment students who are taking classes at
their local high school?
Yes, and thankfully these students are using their high
school classrooms because there is no way STC could
accommodate them on campus. If dual enrollment
students were on STC campuses, the college would
need to expand facilities by approximately 52%.
Will all the facilities be ADA accessible?
Yes. STC has a long standing commitment to
being ADA accessible. All improvements and new
construction will be in compliance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act.
How does STC spend its budget?
The expenditure allocations from the STC budget
for FY 2012-2013 can be summarized as follows:
BY FUNCTION
Instruction
Academic
Support
Student
Services
Institutional
Support
Operation &
Maintenance
Public Service
51.68%
9.48%
BY CLASSIFICATION
Salaries
59.05%
Benefits
17.05%
8.80%
Operating 21.83%
20.68%
Travel
1.15%
8.79%
Capital
0.92%
0.57%
Why doesn’t STC raise student tuition to pay for the
construction?
STC students are already paying the fourth highest
tuition and fees out of the 50 community college
districts in Texas. This cost is already very high and
not affordable for many students even with financial
assistance from Federal Pell grants. Each semester,
STC is forced to withdraw almost 1,000 registered
students the first week of class because they are not able
to pay tuition, fees, and purchase textbooks.
How does STC’s current tax rate compare to local
public school districts for 2012?
$1.04 - McAllen Independent School District
$1.17 - La Joya Independent School District
$1.04 - Weslaco Independent School District $1.04 - Mission Consolidated Independent
School District
$1.17 - Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent
School District
$1.04 - Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent
School District
$0.15 - South Texas College
What is the current tax rate for STC?
Four Cents - Debt payment for the balance of
$20 million in construction bonds
approved by voters in 1995 and
debt payment for the balance of
$98.7 million in construction
bonds approved by the voters in
2001.
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Eleven Cents - Maximum tax rate approved by
voters in 2001 for the maintenance
and operation of the College
FIFTEEN CENTS - Total Current Tax Rate
What will the new tax rate be?
• A one-half cent tax increase will be needed to finance
bonds for the construction of new facilities.
• A three cent additional tax increase will be needed
for the operation of the College to accommodate
the growth in new student enrollment, faculty,
workforce training programs, and operation of the
new facilities.
Bond
Repayment
Operation
TOTAL
Current
Rate
4 cents
Proposed
Increase
½ cent
New
Tax Rate
4 ½ cents
11 cents
15 cents
3 cents
3 ½ cents
14 cents
18 ½ cents
What is the role of eSTC as a virtual campus?
STC created eSTC, its sixth campus to serve the needs
of the “time bound” students who are juggling work,
school, and family responsibilities. eSTC was launched
in August 2011 and currently offers 20 online associate
degree and certificate programs. As of Spring 2013,
over 5,600 unduplicated students were enrolled. eSTC
is expected to serve 10,059 students by 2020. STC is
the only Texas community college with a fully online
campus with full services for the online courses and
programs!
Will eSTC reduce the need for on campus facilities?
No. The Master Plan as developed by Freese & Nichols
incorporates the establishment of eSTC. Even with
the expansion of eSTC, the construction bond is
necessary to provide facilities for on-campus students.
The College has developed five campuses and a virtual
campus throughout Hidalgo and Starr counties and
now serves approximately 31,000 credit students per
semester, thanks to the voter-approved funding. With
the Virtual Campus, STC has increased its degree and
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certificate offerings to the communities; however, STC
facilities are increasingly used by students for taking
online courses, computer labs, library materials, and inperson tutoring. In addition, with the growing number
of hybrid courses, STC facilities remain increasingly
important to the success of our eSTC students. “Hybrid”
is the name for courses that combine face-to-face
classroom instruction with online learning, thereby
offering students the best of both worlds - regularly
scheduled interaction with faculty, and flexibility of a
computer-based learning process.
What is dual enrollment?
Dual enrollment at South Texas College allows high
school students to simultaneously earn South Texas
College credits towards a college degree or certificate
and high school credits towards graduation from
high school. The courses are taught to college level
academic students and are comparable to a collegelevel course. While the course may be taught by a high
school teacher, the teacher must meet college-level
faculty requirements and be approved by STC.
What is the cost of tuition and fees for dual
enrollment?
South Texas College waives all tuition and fees for
students at participating school districts who take
classes at the high school site and/or with special
programs held at the STC campuses. High School
students, including Home School students, who are
not part of the Early College High School program
and who enroll in traditional STC college classes as
independently enrolled Dual Enrollment students, pay
only $50 per credit hour. Since some dual enrollment programs are offered at
the public school site, is there a need for additional
facilities by the College?
A significant amount of dual enrollment classes are
held at each of the College’s campuses throughout the
district. The number of these classes offered at our
STC campuses is expected to increase with programs
such as the Early College High Schools, Academies,
and special high school recovery programs. The
demand for more college classes and classroom space
is expected to grow significantly with the increase of
the Early College High Schools from 15 to 20 in the
coming year. This is especially significant since Early
College High Schools expect students to take college
classes among the regular students on STC campuses
whenever possible.
While some dual enrollment classes are offered at
public schools, a significant number of dual enrollment
classes are held at each of the College’s campuses
throughout the district, and this number is expected
to continue to increase. STC is currently serving over
12,000 dual enrollment students and currently working
with 21 school districts. The College is also the higher
education partner to 15 Early College High Schools,
and soon to be 20, where participating students are
provided the opportunity to enroll in dual enrollment
courses at the College’s campuses. Students in Early
College High Schools can select from the numerous
degrees and certificates offered by STC. In addition,
South Texas College has in place Dual Enrollment
Academies, and students are required to attend college
classes on STC’s campuses. In addition, the College
is engaged in very innovative programs which are
reducing the high school dropout rates, and these
programs also require that students attend classes at
the College’s Campuses.
The successful collaborations between South Texas
College and the participating school districts have
served over 67,000 students since 2003, tuition free,
which has saved South Texas families over $71 million. These innovative approaches to education have
received state and national recognitions, and have been
identified as essential to the community’s recognition
of the importance of a college education.
the programs.
Research clearly demonstrates that students who
participate in dual enrollment will be more likely to
complete and graduate from a college or university.
While South Texas College is committed to serving
the students and communities from Hidalgo and
Starr counties, the impact to dual enrollment without
additional funding for maintenance, operations, and
facilities would initially result in limiting enrollment,
limiting programs and services, and eventually
downsizing or eliminating some of the programs.
How will the merger of UTPA and UTB and the
establishment of a medical school impact STC?
The merger of the University of Texas Pan American
(UTPA) and the University of Texas Brownsville (UTB)
will make the role of STC more critical than ever. As
of Fall 2012, 13,014 students who previously attended
STC, were attending UTPA, and 67% of UTPA’s May
2012 graduating class previously attended STC. The
need for STC to provide well prepared transfer students
will only increase with the establishment of the new
university. The anticipated increase in admissions
standards by the new university will route additional
students to STC to prepare for the more competitive
admission criteria. STC’s affordable tuition will also
be a factor and will encourage students to begin and
complete an associate’s degree with STC prior to
beginning the transfer process to the new university.
What will be the impact to dual enrollment without
the successful passage of the election to support the
maintenance and operation of the program and the
funding for additional facilities?
While South Texas College is committed to serving
the students and communities from Hidalgo and
Starr counties, the impact to dual enrollment without
additional funding for maintenance, operations and
facilities would result initially in what is referred to as
“capping” of enrollment, programs and services, and
the likelihood of downsizing or eliminating some of
13
Changing Lives, Changing Communities
BE9 • 08/07