College plans to increase technology fee by 50 dollars

Palikir, Pohnpei - December 4, 2009 - The College of Micronesia – FSM will be proposing to the Board of Regents at its December meeting in Yap to increase the current technology fee to $100. This will be the first increase since 1997.

The change in fee will help pay costs to improve Internet services at the College, help shoulder costs of replacing aging communications technology network equipment at all six campuses, and the rising need to keep technology upgraded at all campuses.

The College also considered that the rise in funds will also provide more flexibility in terms of being able to purchase more technical equipments for the college, for students and potentially for others. According to the College’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Committee, a committee that advises the college president on communication and technology issues, one of the goals for the use of the technology fee will be to maximize as much bandwidth as possible.

The increase is sufficient now for at least 5 years, instead of increasing the fee fund twice in another 5 years period. The effort is to have the increase in effect by spring 2010. The technology fee can be charged to the Pell Grant for eligible students.

Hearings are being conducted at all campuses and the results of the hearings will be submitted to the Board of Regents for their consideration.