by: Andrew Waner
The Parkland Board of Trustees approved a new debt forgiveness program Wednesday, Feb. 19 at their monthly meeting. The new initiative, titled the Cobra Comeback, will provide encumbered students an opportunity to restart their education at Parkland by removing financial holds that prevent registration.
For each course in which these returning students earn a C or higher, the cost of current tuition per credit hour will be removed from their past-due balance, according to the Dean of Enrollment Management, Kristin Smigielski. Eligibility for the Cobra Comeback program requires students to have a 2.0 or higher and good academic standing, have a debt of no more than $2,000, and the students may not be enrolled at Parkland during the last academic year.
“With Cobra Comeback, Parkland College continues its mission to engage the community in learning by ensuring that all students have a second chance at completing an academic credential,” Smigielski said. “We want to provide maximum access to the training and transfer programs available here, to enrich the lives of students and their families.”
According to the Parkland website, those who wish to participate in debt forgiveness program must complete an eligibility form that can be found online, meet with the program director, Dawn Kamphaus, secure and determine financial aid, and register for classes which must be completed with a C or higher.
The Board of Trustees also approved to keep next year’s base tuition rates at the same level as the 2019-2020 academic year. The in-district rates will remain at $148.50 per credit hour for tier one courses for the 2020-2021 academic year, the Parkland College Board of Trustees announced at their meeting Wednesday.
Dr. Tom Ramage, Parkland’s President, made the recommendation not to increase tuition rates based on a careful analysis of projected revenues and expenditures. The state’s decreases in funding over the past several years has put increasing pressure on student tuition to make up the difference; this increase concerned the Board. Administrators say that the recent measures that were put in place to reduce costs make it possible to hold the tuition rate steady for the coming academic year.
In other business, the Board of Trustees approved the following at the February meeting: the extension of the lease agreement with the State of Illinois CMS (IDES and IDHS) to extend the term through February 28, 2025. The purchase of 4,000 ALEKS PPL testing units from McGraw-Hill, $60,000. Administration recommended approving a Blackboard Ally Software—which is a part of Cobra Learnning—purchase of $32,600 to keep digitial contect readily accessible for studetns. Also discussed was the original school budget, which was lodged in July and approved in September. The budget was projected to run a surplus of $282,504 for the year of 2020.
To learn more about what was discussed at the most recent Board of Trustees meeting, or to find a meeting schedule, head to the parkland website.
