BLINN TRUSTEES APPROVE $115 MILLION BUDGET, USE OF RELLIS CAMPUS

  

The Blinn College District approved a $115.3 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year at its trustee meeting last (Tuesday) night.

The 2018-19 budget is a 2.4 percent increase over last year’s budget, which includes a 3 percent salary increase for full time faculty.  Contingency funds sit at $3 million, up from previous years.  Tuition and fees account for 56 percent of the total budget.  Blinn has accrued $6.5 million in total debt service.

The budget adjustments allow for Blinn’s use of the Texas A&M System’s RELLIS Campus.  Opening in the Fall semester, the 83,000-square-foot Walter C. Schwartz Building will feature 19 classrooms and eight laboratories.

Board members also approved a lease agreement with Texas A&M’s Board of Regents.  Blinn will begin a $2000 per month agreement, which allows Blinn to use the RELLIS Campus for skilled-trades training programs such as carpentry, plumbing, and the classroom portion of commercial driver’s license training.

The board also approved further negotiations with the City of Brenham to use Jackson Street Park and Rankin Field at Hohlt Park. In March, the board approved the launch of men’s and women’s soccer teams in time for the Fall 2018 season.