The Lone Star College System Board of Trustees will consider the LSC Chancellors recommendation to execute the final contract for the LSC-Creekside satellite center when the Trustees meet on September 4th, 2014. According to the agenda packet for this Thursday’s meeting, in December 2013 the Trustees approved Durotech INC to provide the Construction Manager At Risk Services (CMAR) for the construction of Creekside.
The Creekside Center, as noted in this 2013 Houston Chronicle article, has a $36 million price tag and the specific need for the campus continues to be mired in controversy.
In May 2013 opposition from Montgomery County voters outweighed the support from Harris County voters to defeat a $497 million bond referendum which included LSC-Creekside.
Homes for sale in Creekside Park average in the $300,000 range which, according to Realtor.com are more than double the Texas average—and with homes for sales over $1 million has voters STILL asking what the student demand is to attend a community college from the families in the area.
Questions remain about the enrollment figures for the Lone Star College System.
While Chris Tkach, executive director of research and institutional effectiveness for the college system said the student body has increased from 30,280 students in 2001 to 77,877 students in 2012, enrollment data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board tells a different story.
According to the THECB 2013-2020 Enrollment Forecast, actual LSC enrollment (not including LSC University Park) in 2012 was 57,421 and 2015 enrollment is projected to be 59,334.
Then there’s the Strategic Alliance with the USBI of Jakarta. Is the MOU between Lone Star College System and USBI based in United States law? Was it reviewed by outside counsel prior to signing? Where are the enrollment figures for the Jakarta campus?
Oh—then there’s the matter of Lone Star College System and Richard Carpenter v Immigration Reform Coalition of Texas.
This case challenges the use of Texas taxpayer dollars for illegal use of the Texas General Revenue fund for grants to unlawfully present aliens in violation of federal laws.
How much taxpayer money has been and will be spent by Lone Star College on this lawsuit?
Plenty of uncertainty and controversy existed in 2013 and plenty of controversy & uncertainty remains today.
Currently one board member is under investigation for violating state nepotism laws in light of AG rulings as it’s alleged that their spouse has been employed by the district and their annual and or semester employment has been made after the board member took office.
Seems also there’s another satellite campus that was voted down in 2013 by voters and to buy votes it’s being placed only a couple of miles from the underutilized Greenpoint satellite.
Sources tell us that one of the candidates that filed for a board position also has a spouse working in the administration of the college system. It’s a little hard to find impartiality when a board member is expected to hire or fire the person or persons that can also be determining their spouse’s income or firing them.
Even if you use LSC enrollment figures, it would be interesting to know what percentage of the additional enrollment is on line students thereby necessitating very little in additional facilities.
Fred is spot on, some have been pointing to the growth in remote learners compared to campus critters for several years.
Where is trustee Scott on this?
And what’s been happening with certificate of obligation financing vs bond bucks?