March 29, 2007

(Educators)The College of Lake County has created four administrative positions since November and hired two outside consulting firms last month, leading faculty to question the board's decision to increase tuition 12.5 percent for next year.

Tuition was raised at the same February meeting the board voted to spend about $30,000 to hire the consultants and at the heels of the new administrator positions being created.

Over the last year, 15 other administrative positions have been reorganized, reclassified or filled, prompting faculty to question the timing.

The social sciences staff met with CLC President Richard Fonte recently to ask about the perceived coincidence.

"Dr. Fonte's response was, 'That is a political question and I will not respond to political questions,' " said Maureen Starshak, a political science teacher. "We were stunned as the questions are clearly about the financial administration of the college. We asked again and his response was the same. With nothing more to say, he left the room."

Fonte was out of the office Wednesday and his assistant referred calls to the college's public relations office.

William Griffin, president of the college board, said the increase has nothing to do with the hiring of administrators or consultants, rather a decrease in state funding.

"They are not linked at all," Griffin said. "This is simply to keep up with the amount of money the college needs to be the state- of-the-art facility we want to become.