Copiah-Lincoln Community College will enact a small tuition increase during the upcoming academic year, but leaders say the school will remain affordable and below state tuition averages.

During a meeting of Co-Lin’s board of trustees Thursday afternoon, board members approved a projected budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year, including the increases.

Fulltime tuition will increase $125 per semester, President Ronnie Nettles said. That will bring the price tag of one semester at Co-Lin for a fulltime student up to $1,100.

Out of state fees are increasing from $900 to $1,000 per semester. Nettles said few students will be impacted by that change.

The president emphasized that at these totals, Co-Lin remains below state averages.

Next year’s budget also brings an increase for part-time students that Nettles described as negligible.

A budget breakdown distributed to board members projects $25 million in expenses and $25 million in revenues, a 1.47 percent over the current fiscal year.

During the upcoming fiscal year, the single largest source of projected revenue is state appropriations, totaling a little more than $9 million. Student fees make up a close second at more than $8.5 million.

Salaries make up the single largest projected expense, at about $18 million.

Nettles also announced to board members that he’s received tentative word the school will receive nearly a $1 million grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

The grant will pay for renovation of Copiah-Lincoln Circe, a now closed road used by pedestrians. The road begins behind a gate at the Wesson campus administration building and continues to a circular drive area.

The MDOT grant would add planters and lighting along the road and replace the asphalt with brick pavers.

Nettles said that while he’s not received an official letter announcing the grant award, he’s received email correspondence concerning the positive outcome of the school’s application for the grant.

“I am very excited,” Nettles said of the grant.