Education
BY VALERIA ESCOBAR & JULIANNA WASHBURN
LSC trustees OK $548M budget for FY 2025-26
UH to begin ‘Academic Fresh Start’ policy The University of Houston is the first Texas public university to adopt a revised state law allowing students to exclude grades and credits that are at least five years old—halving the previous 10-year wait—to help over 5 million Texans with some college credit but no degree, per a July 22 release. Who’s eligible Per the website, the following require- ments apply: • College credits must have been earned more than five years ago • Credits cannot be selectively applied—stu- dents must accept or forfeit their credits • Fresh start may only be used once • Students must be undergraduates at Houston, Katy and Sugar Land campuses
Lone Star College System’s board of trustees passed a balanced budget of $548 million for fiscal year 2025-26 on Aug. 7. The gist LSCS’s approved FY 2025-26 budget includes $34.95 million in total new revenue, which comes from state appropriations, property taxes and students, among other miscellaneous sources, according to a presentation by Kristy Vienne, the college system’s chief financial officer and vice chancellor for finance and administration. What’s changed Since the June 5 meeting, LSCS saw a $13 million drop in the forecasted revenue from the state— from $124 million to $111 million. “Even with the $13 million loss ... nothing that we represented to employees and students that would be in the budget for the next year is going to be affected,” LCSC Chancellor Mario Castillo said.
LSC’s FY 2025-26 budget priorities
3% employee compensation adjustment $9 million
Funding for Magnolia Center $1.9 million
Funding for a new bachelor’s program $321,000
Mental health $2 million
SOURCE: LONE STAR COLLEGE SYSTEM/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
Also of note LSCS officials expect to propose a tax rate of $0.1060 per $100 valuation for FY 2025-26—which is lower than the FY 2024-25 tax rate of $0.1076 per $100 valuation. LSCS trustees will adopt the tax rate Oct. 2.
RECYCLE RIGHT
R E C Y C L E
T H
Aluminum and Steel Cans Empty & Rinse
Beverage and Food Cartons Empty & Replace
Glass Jars and Bottles Empty & Rinse
E S E
Mixed Paper, Newspaper, and Magazines Plastic Bottles and Containers Empty & Replace Accepted materials may vary. Please check with your local recycling program. Flattened Cardboard
T H
YUCK
N O T
No Food or Liquid Empty All Containers
No Plastic Bags Return to Retail
No Garbage
E S E
Brought to you by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Houston- Galveston Area Council Graphics provided by The Recycling Partnership
No Tanglers (No Hoses, Wires, Chains, or Ropes)
No Clothing or Linens Donate Instead
21
CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION
Powered by FlippingBook