BENTONVILLE -- NorthWest Arkansas Community College plans to balance its budget in fiscal 2015 without seeking increases in either tuition or fees.
Evelyn Jorgenson, college president, and Debi Buckley, chief financial officer, presented their budget proposal at a meeting of more than 70 faculty and staff members Friday. The college's board will consider approving the budget at its meeting April 14. The fiscal year runs July 1-June 30.
The proposed $41.1 million budget represents a decrease in spending of $1.2 million, or 2.9 percent.
"We are very proud we are presenting a balanced budget," Buckley said.
The college also plans to give nonacademic staff members a 1 percent cost-of-living raise, which it didn't give last year. Faculty members will continue to receive their regular annual step increases, which amount to 1 percent plus $300.
The cost-of-living raise was made possible by some unexpectedly good news on the revenue front. The amount the college receives from its local millage tax increased $358,128, or 6.3 percent, Buckley said.
The college built its budget on the assumption it would see a decline of 3 percent in student credit hours next fiscal year. The college has seen enrollment declines each of the past two years.
"We really believe we're going to start leveling out before long," Buckley said.
This would be the first time in seven years the college hasn't raised tuition or fees. Last year the college didn't raise tuition, but raised several fees and implemented three new ones.
Tuition for students who live in the Bentonville and Rogers school districts has increased from $63.25 per credit hour during the 2007-08 school year to $75 per credit hour this year.
Cyndi Beltran, president of the Student Government Association, said students appreciate efforts to keep tuition and fees the same.
"At the same time, we are hoping enrollment goes up, because they are cutting a lot of services," Beltran said.
The cuts aren't dramatic, but still will affect organizations such as Student Government, she said.
The college was able to balance its budget despite flat funding from the state and a decrease in grants, from $6 million last year to $4 million this year, Buckley said.
Faculty and staff members were allowed to ask questions after Friday's presentation.
Barbara Rademacher, a mathematics teacher at the college for the past 14 years, asked whether the college was looking at layoffs.
"We absolutely are not," Jorgenson said. "That's not even on the drawing board."
But Jorgenson said everyone must work together to recruit and retain more students.
Another audience member asked about the likelihood of the college filling positions of those employees who resign.
Jorgenson said it would depend on the particular position.
The college isn't looking to add positions other than converting two part-time tutors to full-time positions. That should help the college's student retention rate, Jorgenson said.
The college's fund balance as of Feb. 28 was $7.86 million, about $5 million more than required, Buckley said. Administrators wanted to avoid dipping into reserve to cover next year's budget.
"We are not relying on reserves. You can do that for only so long," she said.
Rademacher said after the meeting Jorgenson has had a great influence since becoming president in July.
"She's making the most of available resources," Rademacher said. "I feel less worried and less stressed than I did coming in."
NW News on 04/05/2014