Labette Community College realized a 2% increase in enrollment this fall, the college trustees heard on Thursday.
The headcount is up, although final figures weren’t available, and trustees heard that student counts for online courses are down and student counts are up for main campus classes.
The rate shows a 6.6% increase for on campus students.
Trustees heard that students are taking 13,273 credit hours so far this semester.
The trustees also approved the 2026 budget, which has the same mill levy, 35.4 mills, as the 2025 budget. The overall valuation is up in the county so those same mills will generate an estimated $176,785 more for 2026.
The trustees also approved a resolution that the college would exceed the revenue neutral rate in 2026. The RNR, the rate the college would levy to raise the same tax dollars as the year before, would have been 34.312 mills.
The 35.4 mill levy is estimated to bring in $5,751,993 tax revenue to support the college’s 2026 budget. The owner of a $100,000 home in the county will pay about $407.10 to support the 2026 college budget.
The college’s total spending authority is $24,994,306 for 2026.
The action on the RNR and budget followed public hearings.
In other matters, trustees: — Agreed to purchase HVAC equipment and raw materials for the first and second floors of the Sonny and Sophia Zetmeir Health Science Building at a cost of $567,424 for the first floor and $176,400 for the second floor. The cost of the equipment is expected to increase 25 to 30% in January 2026 because of tariffs placed on the goods. Work on the first floor units may start around Christmas break this
See LCC, Page 3.
year and should be done in a matter of weeks. P1 Construction of Joplin will do the work. The college administration will look into funding options for the work, including a possible lease-purchase agreement, so the $899,000 deferred maintenance fund won’t have to be depleted. The decision followed a discussion about the problems with the HVAC system that was installed in the building in 2012 and 2013. The building opened in August 2013. The equipment will be stored for a time before the projects start.
— After a closed session, trustees agreed to furlough two employees in the LCC Talent Search program because federal funding for the program is on hold. If the money is freed up, the employees, Michelle Dayton and Pat Duncan, could return to the program. Talent Search targets students who would be the first generation in their families to attend college and who also meet income eligibility. The program provides academic, career and financial counseling to its participants and encourages them to graduate from high school and continue on to and complete postsecondary education. Talent Search is in the fourth year of a five-year grant cycle that’s funded at $281,888 a year ($1.4 million in total over five years). The grant cycle ends Aug. 31, 2026.
— Heard that more than 300 students attended a welcome week event.
— Approved a new course for the 2026 school year on Principles of Marketing.
