Proposed budget cuts frustrate
community colleges board
Cutting the budget of the Community College System by $40
million would force the elimination of 450 instructional units
and require a $3.50 per semester hour tuition increase,
members of the State Board of Community Colleges learned last
Friday.
Meeting at Piedmont Community College, the board reviewed
President Martin Lancaster’s response to a request from the
House and Senate appropriations committee leaders to identify
potential budget cuts representing 6.2 percent of the
continuation budget for the community colleges.
"These
options are very painful and will do significant harm to the
system if implemented," Lancaster said during the
discussion of the cuts. "The system already operates on a
lean budget, there is no fat to trim."
The action by the State Board of Community Colleges came a few
days after the State Board of Education released its list of
how it would chop $150 million from its budget, as the
legislative budget writers requested. The UNC System also was
asked to come up with proposals for reducing its budget by
$150 million.
The cuts in the community colleges budget would result in a
reduction of more than 450 instructional units, which include
full time and multiple part time teaching positions, and the
elimination of funds for Community Service Block Grants that
provide leisure courses to senior citizens. A $3.50/semester
hour tuition increase is also included in the proposal from
Lancaster.
Discussion on the proposed cuts reflected the concern the
Board members felt at the possibility of losing critical funds
at a time when community colleges will be called upon to help
heal a flagging economy. "These cuts are damaging to the
system, the people, and economy of North Carolina," said
Legislative Committee Chair Tom King.
Finance and Capital Needs Chairman James Woody agreed.
"The only way to recover from a downturn in the economy
is to train the workforce and these cuts will adversely affect
our ability to do that," he said.
The board voted to have Chairman Dr. G. Herman Porter write a
letter of dissent to the General Assembly expressing the
feelings of the board. Porter expressed concern that the
community college system has seen signs of strong support from
the General Assembly and that the present budget crisis has
hindered the potential financial reward from that good will.
"Just as we are about to get our real share, the money
runs out," he said.
Meanwhile, James Woody was sworn in for another term on the
state board. His previous term was to expire on June 30 but
the State Senate elected him to fulfill the unexpired term of
Carolyn Harmon, who resigned earlier this year. Woody’s new term expires June 30, 2005.
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