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MHCC president says college reserve fund at all time low
The Advocate
The MHCC reserve fund is now at 1.75 percent of the total budget, an all-time low, President John Sygielski said Wednesday night.
The district board met Wednesday to discuss budget woes but also to recognize the outstanding work of two part-time faculty members.
Sygielski spoke about the “harsh realities” of MHCC’s current budget.
“The college’s reserve fund is at an all-time low,” he told the board. “Before I got here, you set a target of 5 percent and we have not been able to achieve that. We also know that the college’s bond rating was reduced because of that. Going forward, that will cause us some concern.”
Sygielski also mentioned a $3 million electrical problem that PGE has identified. He said the problem stems from buried power lines that were installed without conduits. “When PGE was out here to take a look, they pretty much offered ‘prayers of many faiths’ to ensure that we are able to maintain that electrical service because we really are on borrowed time,” he said.
At the same time, MHCC is looking at a $25 million project to bring the college up to current seismic standards. According to Sygielski, the City of Gresham wants many improvements to MHCC’s facilities before granting approval to facility upgrades and classroom remodels.
Sygielski said MHCC would avoid making layoffs to faculty and staff “at all costs,” but could not promise no layoffs. “We’re truly at the bone of our existence,” said Sygielski.
Sygielski also spoke about solutions to MHCC’s budget problems. Among them was the possibly of adopting a more corporate business model. “Even though we’re an educational institution, it’s critical that we look at our institution from a business model,” he said. “We can’t avoid that anymore.”
Tuition increases and program review were also mentioned as possible solutions to the current budget crisis.
Sygielski also brought up the idea of privatizing certain areas of the college, “We need to look at maybe developing some 501-C3 corporations within the college. Are there places within the college that we can privatize? Don’t know. This is brainstorming, it’s just one solution.”
In addition to discussing the budget, the district board gave excellence in teaching awards to part-time instructors Jean Aguilar and Andy Gurevich. Aguilar is a computer information systems instructor and Gurevich is a philosophy and religion instructor. They each will receive $250 from the MHCC Foundation.
The board also approved two new tuition waivers for the Oregon Leadership Institute and the automotive program, one for each program.
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