LBCC Preparing for More Reductions

On Wednesday, April 27, interested members of staff and faculty alike, met to continue part of a three day series to discuss the LBCC budget for the upcoming.


During the conference in the Vineyard Mountain Room, Vice President of Finance and Operations Jim Huckestein presented the financial matrix being used to calculate how much revenue they can count on receiving and how much ground they have left to cover.

Since the final budget for community colleges for the 2011-12 school year is still up in the air, many are working off of estimation. The governor’s budget will hopefully hit around $410 million, however, currently; LBCC is budgeting for $400 million for the community college support system.

According to Huckestein, “The final numbers won’t be known till after the may forecast.”

Earlier in April, members of the LBCC board approved a $7 raise in tuition; effective July.  The rise in tuition will contribute to 40 percent of the upcoming budget, leaving the remaining 60 percent to result from reducing expenditures such as in the forms of staff, programs, supplies, etc.

“Some reductions made in the current year moved forward, some did not.”

Huckestein believes less than 12 classified positions will be removed “as a result of input and priorities.” Those priorities revolving around attempting to minimize any impact on students and the programs affected along with reducing part time faculty and a concentration on core classes rather than having a variety of classes for students.

“We are trying to make reductions that won’t hurt us in the long run.”

However, the state funds have not been settled yet. Huckestein said there is some indications that enrollment will decline 2.5 percent for the 2011-12 year, however there are more financial aid applications being processed than ever before. Times have hit students hard as well. The amount of money available per student has dropped.

“We have hit a low point in dollars per student. We are growing state wide, but structures for students aren’t adapting as quickly as we wanted them too.”

Huckestein reported that over the last three bienniums, the budget has been reduced by 20 percent, while enrollment increased 20 percent. He added that although federal assistance has increased, state funds have fluctuated, but ultimately decreased.

Huckestein says there is a concentration on building up the ending fund balance for the year, to avoid drastic changes if there was to be an unexpected dip in revenue, such as the unexpected $2.6 million reductions in state resources that occurred last year. The budget for community colleges was $450 million, but was reduced to $416 million, rippling its impact down the line; thus, building up a fund that will withhold is crucial.

“The end fund balance serves two purposes; it’s a cushion to continue operating the year’s activities as well as for grants and contracts.”

If the governor’s budget of $410 million is met then those additional resources will be used to build the fund balance without as many cuts. The approved budget will be settled on later in May.