Tuition for Potomac State College for the upcoming academic year was cut $418 Tuesday as the West Virginia University Board of Governors adjusted the cost to open the way for in-state students to be eligible for free community college benefits adopted by the state Legislature.

The Board, in a special called meeting, unanimously approved a reduction from $4,536 to $4,118 for the year for programs included in the West Virginia Invests Grants program sometimes known as the “free community college bill.”

With the vast majority of today’s jobs requiring postsecondary education or training, the program is designed to help more West Virginians earn the credentials they need to get jobs that will allow them to live and work in their home state.

The program covers particular programs approved by the state Department of Commerce in areas such as agriculture, business and economics, computer information systems, criminal justice studies, engineering, journalism and technical studies.

Other requirements are that students must perform community service while enrolled each semester; complete a drug screening and stay in West Virginia for two years after receiving their final degree.

Students must use all of their federal and/or state grant awards first to pay for tuition for two-year degrees. The WV Invests Grant then covers remaining costs for tuition and fees for those degrees.

In other business Tuesday, the Board:

* Revised some room rates at University Park to open up to 50 rooms for freshman students to allow for double and quad suites. The original schedule only provided double suite rates. The new rates are $5,002 per person per semester for a double suite and $4,500 per person per semester for a quad suite.

* Approved $1.355 million to convert space in the Market at the Health Sciences Center to accommodate a full-service Chick-Fil-A restaurant and adjacent coffee bar. The project will be funded from the Sodexo Capital Fund.

* Agreed to permit the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design to lease up to 112 acres adjacent to the J.W. Ruby Research Farm near Reedsville farm during the coming six-month growing season. In lieu of rent, the landowner will receive farm operations.