RALEIGH:  In preparation for what promises to be a challenging year in the North Carolina General Assembly, the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee is receiving presentations from every segment of the education community.  On Tuesday, December 19 at 9:00 the North Carolina Community College System will have its turn.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to impress upon our lawmakers the critical nature of our budget requests," said North Carolina Community College System President H. Martin Lancaster.  "The higher education facilities bonds will help take care of the bricks and mortar, but we have other serious institutional needs that must be met if we are to continue quality service to the State of North Carolina."

Lancaster will present the expansion budget request to the committee at 9:00 AM. The proposal for the first year of the biennium includes: $57.5 million to bring salaries to the Southern Regional Average, $31.5 million to continue the phase-in of summer term funding, $13 million for anticipated enrollment growth and $12 million to bring Continuing Education to full funding parity with Curriculum.

Following Lancaster at 10:00 AM is a detailed report on the salary situation in community colleges. North Carolina community college salaries rank near the bottom, regionally and nationally.

Summer term funding is another important issue for community colleges. At 11:00 AM Vice President for Business and Finance Kennon Briggs, along with Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College President K. Ray Bailey, will report to the legislators on the effect of previously appropriated summer-term dollars and reinforce the need for additional summer funding.

The use of distance learning within the NCCCS has increased significantly, particularly Internet-based education. At 11:30 AM Vice President for Administration Brenda Rogers will report on the Virtual Learning Community to the committee.

The Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee meets in Room 421 in the Legislative Office Building.

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