North Carolina Community College System President H. Martin Lancaster will testify at the public hearing. He will speak in opposition to changes proposed by the Board. Most significantly, Lancaster opposes a significant increase in the cost the Board would assess colleges to begin or renew a Massage Therapy Program.

The Board proposes increasing the request for application package fee from the current $20.00 to $100.00. The initial application would double, from $1,500.00 to $3,000. Renewal fees would rise from the current $1,000.00 per program and $500.00 for additional programs to $2,000.00 per renewal or $100.00 per student, whichever is greater. The cost for additional programs would rise to $1,000.00 per program or $50.00 per student, whichever is greater.

Lancaster opposes these changes because of the financial impact it would have on other programs offered at the 12 community colleges now offering the program and those that would attempt to begin future programs. "I know our programs would have trouble absorbing the cost increase, and I’m sure the fee schedule would severely impact the private providers’ ability to sustain their profit margin." He points out tuition is the same, no matter what the program costs to administer. "The proposed increases will be passed on to other workforce preparation curricula at a time when community college are financially strapped and finding it difficulty to meet the needs of our out-of-work citizens."

Lancaster will also point out that the fee schedule proposed by this Board is severely out of line with those charged by other outside agencies regulating allied health programs of the community colleges, both in dollar amount and percent increase. For example: Diagnostic Medical Sonography, initial application $400 and annual renewal $550 to $750; Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic, initial application $750 and annual renewal $750; Medical Assistant, initial application $800 plus $400 per additional campus and annual renewal $700 plus $350 per additional campus; Respiratory Therapist, initial application $500 and annual renewal $1,000; and Surgical Technology, initial application $750 and annual renewal $500.

"In good economic times, this fee schedule would be exorbitant," says Lancaster. "In North Carolina’s current economy, this fee schedule is absolutely outrageous."

Lancaster hopes to be one of the first to speak at the public hearing.

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