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Budget solutions still up in the air Club fair culminates with pie-in-the-face for Sygielski
MHCC preparing for additional cuts
The Advocate
Mt. Hood Community College President John Sygielski and his cabinet spent “almost a full day” at the start of winter term reviewing budget angles and trying to find new ways to relieve the college of growing money problems, he told the district board Wednesday night.
“We are aware of the situation at the state and college levels,” said Sygielski.
“Most recently, we’ve taken almost a full day reviewing the budget in an attempt to minimize serious effects. We are still gathering some information to decide how to proceed, how to move our institution forward. I think all of us are prepared for tough decisions and to move forward together.”
Administrative Assistant Joann Zahn gave her monthly report, citing an additional possibility for increased funding.
“So far we’ve reduced costs by cutting days from faculty and staff, and we’ve saved salary based on the 10 fewer faculty positions,” said Zahn. “We’ve identified savings elsewhere. We are also anticipating a $550 million community college allotment for the biennium based on the governor’s proposed $100 million increase in funding.” The original allotment was expected to be $450 million. MHCC will get about 10 percent of the final amount.
Sygielski mentioned in an all-staff email Monday morning the current fiscal year budget is projected to be in deficit before the end of June, with no emergency reserve fund balance.
“The Oregon Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development (CCWD) has projected additional cuts to the Mt. Hood Community College district budget ranging from $1.25 million to $2.83 million for the current fiscal year,” Sygielski said in the email.
Ballot Measures 66 and 67 also hold the possibility of further crippling the college’s fiscal outlook, with an additional potential loss of $925,386 to $1.87 million for the 2010-11 fiscal year. The email said Sygielski and his cabinet were projecting revenue increases and expense reductions for those scenarios as well.
“I think all of us are prepared for tough decisions and to move forward together,” Sygielski said at the meeting.
Board Chair Beverly Russell chimed in at the end of the meeting, reminding all audience members “to vote yes on 66 and 67, and to remind everyone they know to do the same.”
She also recognized faculty President Pam Shields and ASG President Bradley Best for their work in getting voters organized. Shields told the crowd they were reaching out to voters that supported education-based votes in the past in an effort to mobilize a stronger outcome.
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