FSCC board to consider tuition scholarships

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees is scheduled to consider a proposal on Monday that would allow adjunct faculty members to be eligible for tuition scholarships for FSCC courses.

Currently, all full-time college employees -- including all teachers and staff -- and their immediate family members are eligible for tuition scholarships. The Adjunct Tuition Scholarship Proposal, if approved, would extend the benefit to adjunct instructors at the college and their immediate family members.

FSCC Dean of Instruction Donna Estill recently brought the proposal to other members of the college's executive staff, and administrators agreed they would like to make the benefit available to about 125 adjunct faculty members at the college, FSCC President Clayton Tatro said.

"We thought it would be a nice added benefit to faculty who are nice enough to teach adjunct for us," he said. "We thought we could accommodate that fairly easily."

According to FSCC information, the college's philosophy encourages lifelong learning and employees are encouraged to attend classes.

Tatro said money for the scholarships would be allocated out of institutional scholarships.

According to the Adjunct Tuition Scholarship Proposal, the following are the terms of the tuition scholarships:

* The adjunct instructor must be teaching a class during the semester in which the course is taken.

* The scholarship pays in-state tuition for a single course of up to five credit hours. For residents of other states, only the in-state tuition scholarship amount will be received; the adjunct instructor is responsible for the remainder of the tuition.

* The scholarship recipient pays fees and cost of books and supplies.

* To apply for the scholarship, adjunct instructors should complete the necessary scholarship form available at the office of the Director of Admissions, for themselves or their family members.

* The instructor's division chair or director and the appropriate dean must approve the scholarship application.

* A scholarship recipient under the provisions of the policy may receive other institutional and/or endowment scholarships or financial aid. However, the individual may not receive total FSCC scholarship monies exceeding their tuition costs.

The board is also slated to consider approval of other items and hear various reports during their regular meeting scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday in the FSCC Heritage Room, 2108 S. Horton.