Board members of the Community College of Allegheny County today approved a $107.2 million operating and plant fund budget and a $32 million capital plan for 2008-09.

The operating portion of the budget -- $95.5 million -- is a 1.5 percent increase over the current budget.

The new budget includes a 4 percent increase in tuition, which was previously announced. Tuition will go from $82 per credit to $85.25, effective July 1. It also includes a $17.4 million new science center for the Allegheny campus.

The board also heard a progress report from Perkins Eastman, which has been hired to help to develop a master plan.

The architects praised the West Hills Center; the relatively low tuition; and the wide geographic distribution of the campuses and centers. They said there are opportunities to increase connection with regional business and industry, build centers of excellence at campuses an better use available space. They said that there are too few places for students to study or socialize; departments have difficulty communicating between campuses and centers; and there is a lack of sustainable practices, such as recycling and an environmental science curriculum.