| RELEASE: Immediate |
CONTACT: Public Affairs |
| DATE: August 20, 2004 |
PHONE: (919) 807-6962 |
Enrollment growth heads issues for next budget request for community colleges
RALEIGH: "The tail-lights of the legislators’ cars had not vanished over the horizon before our staff got to work on our budget request for the next session."
That’s what the State Board of Community Colleges heard today (Friday, August 20) from H. Martin Lancaster, president of the North Carolina Community College System. Lancaster joined Board Chair James Woody and Dr. Katherine Johnson, head of the North Carolina Association of Community College Presidents, in thanking the General Assembly for this year’s expansion budget, which adds up to an increase of more than 10 percent in system operating funds. Most of the meeting, however, focused on the future.
The State Board gave tentative approval to a list of eleven budget issues for incorporation into the 2005-2007 Consensus Budget request, which will go to the General Assembly early in 2005.
According to Kennon Briggs, Vice President for Business and Finance for the System, the next step is for system staff to work with Board members and associations representing local trustees, presidents, faculty, staff and students to turn the issues into specific funding requests.
Briggs expects to present a draft expansion budget to the State Board at its September meeting in Wilmington. The final request is due to the State Office of Budget and Management October 31.
Of the 11 issues, Board Finance Chair Herbert L. Watkins pointed to enrollment growth, continued implementation of the salary plan to raise faculty and professional staff pay to national averages; and equipment funding to address more than $225 million in systemwide needs as the highest priorities.
"The remaining items are issues of significant need and are very important to the North Carolina Community College System," said Briggs.
Briggs commented specifically on the need for additional funds to strengthen economic development activities, off-campus centers and the statewide biotechnology initiatives. He also focused on distance learning, which thus far has not received funding from the state.
"Distance learning is our fastest-growing form of instruction," said Briggs. "We will be presenting a comprehensive plan for distance education that includes technology, infrastructure and operations.
North Carolina’s community colleges offer distance learning through the Virtual Learning Community and other on-line instruction; telecourses broadcast in partnership with UNC-TV and other outlets; two-way interactive video; and blended media. During the last academic year, more than 154,000
students enrolled in distance learning through North Carolina’s community colleges, an increase of almost 39 percent over the previous year and more than 360 percent over five years.
Other budget issues on the preliminary list include:
- High Cost Program Enhancement Funding
- Comprehensive Financial Aid Plan
- Instructional Support Personnel
- System Office
State Board member Richard Moore, Treasurer of North Carolina, sounded a note of caution about the state’s financial picture for the coming year.
"I haven’t heard anybody yet who is really optimistic about what our revenues are going to look like next year," he said. "I urge you to live within your means as you consider requests for expansion funding."
Moore pointed specifically to major demands on the state’s Escheat Fund, an endowment that pays for financial aid for needy community college and university students.
He told the State Board that he had written to members of the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina to make sure they understood that action taken this year to fund financial aid required spending some of the capital from the endowment, which is funded through unclaimed property. He warned the State Board that continued withdrawals at that rate would drain the endowment in five to seven years. The North Carolina Community College System will receive $10.9 million this year from the Escheat Fund for grants and loans.
In other action today, the State Board:
- Reviewed the expenditure report on the New and Expanding Industry Training Program;
- Approved extension of Dr. Hartwell Fuller’s service as Interim President of Edgecombe Community College (Tarboro) while the search for a new president continues; and
- Approved new curriculum programs in Surgical Technology at Isothermal Community College (Spindale) and McDowell Technical Community College (Marion) and Radiography at Robeson Community College (Lumberton).
The North Carolina Community College System is the state’s primary provider of workforce training, adult education and literacy programs. The System’s 59 institutions enroll more than 800,000 adults. For details about this release and the overall work of the system, contact the Public Affairs Office in Raleigh, 919-807-6962.
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