Lamar State College Orange president outlines campus requests before finance committee

Published 11:34 am Wednesday, February 8, 2023

AUSTIN —  Lamar State College Orange President Dr. Tom Johnson testified Tuesday night before the Texas Senate Finance Committee.

Johnson shared the progress the college has made over the past year and sought additional funding for the next biennium.

“At Lamar State College Orange, we’re dedicated to the goals of a Talent-Strong Texas,” Johnson said, adding three-fourths of LSCO graduates are first-generation, just like Johnson.

He also shared LSCO’s enrollment grew last Fall by approximately 12 percent and thanked the Legislature for providing funds to purchase a generator, for the increased tuition formula rate that has allowed LSCO to reduce tuition by 50 perent and for funds for a new academic building.

All the requests were granted in the previous Legislative session.

Johnson requested a modest tuition formula increase to maintain reduced tuition rates for students, funds to develop a technical training initiative and funds for disaster mitigation.

After his testimony, Senators asked Johnson about the success of LSCO’s Commercial Driver’s License program, where classes begin each Monday; about LSCO’s nursing programs and about teacher training initiatives that prepare teachers to work in rural areas.

Nichols’ district includes Lamar State College Orange.