The Garden City Telegram

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Economic realities mean reduction in force for GCCC

Published 3/17/2010 in Classtime

The learning we provide at Garden City Community College has helped many southwest Kansans deal with the difficult economic times that have hit our state and nation. Just this semester, we logged an increase of more than 8 percent in our full-time enrollment, and a good share of that growth includes men and women who are enrolling to boost their job and career skills.

Education is the absolute best tool a person can wield in building a secure future, and I'm proud of the way GCCC has risen to the occasion.

However, the economic declines that have cut into family budgets and business bottom lines also have impacted our college's revenues, and that forces us to consider some of the toughest decisions an educational institution ever has to make.

These challenges include:

• Repeated reductions in state financial support, due to the downward spiral in tax revenues across Kansas;
  
  
• a dramatic drop in Finney County property valuation anticipated for the year ahead, due primarily to declines in oil and gas revenues;
  
  
• the need to keep the local property tax levy as low as possible.

The present rate of 20.18 mills, by the way, makes up just a small portion of the property tax levy in Finney County, but it provides 60 percent of GCCC's income and all of our capital outlay funding.

Unwelcome option

We've already been dealing with reduced state support, by cutting non-salary operating expenditures 27 percent over the past three years, as well as using reserve funds the past two years to maintain all the opportunities we offer. Today, however, I can't remain true to my responsibilities as president and cut these much further. People across southwest Kansas depend on our college, and we have an obligation to serve them.

Unfortunately, that means the only option still open is to scale back or eliminate some of our programs and services in the year that begins July 1, and this involves eliminating some of our full-time staff and faculty positions, and converting others to part-time. I've resisted this option as long as possible, while many of our sister institutions and public school systems have already implemented reductions in force, because I believe in the value of our people.

Scenarios ahead

Over the past several weeks, we have been extensively involved in budget considerations, and worked out two scenarios, including:

• cuts of $800,712
  
  
• cuts of $1,218,979.

Final figures will vary to some extent, of course, as revenue projections are finalized, and ultimate decisions on the tax levy and use of reserves will be made by our elected GCCC Board of Trustees. However, it's clear that either scenario will mean a reduction in our campus workforce.

In preparing, we've made service to students our top priority, with the goal of maintaining the high quality education our college has provided for more than 90 years. At the same time, of course, we've taken a strong look at multi-year enrollment trends and public participation in our programs.

Official staff and faculty severance notifications won't take place until early May, but we've already started discussing the realities with the individuals who will be affected, because I believe that's the right thing to.

Potential effects

I also believe we should be honest and up-front in letting our community know what areas may be affected. It's still too early to identify which and how many of the options we'll need to exercise, since that depends on the extent of the reduction in revenues, but services and programs under consideration for change, reduction or elimination include: operation of the Bryan Education Center in Scott City; staffing in athletic administration and sports information; the Career Learning System of Finney County, which has lost considerable public school financial backing; extended summer clerical support in the Humanities and Fine Arts Division and clerical assistance in Kansas Concealed Carry firearms training courses; out of town travel for the cheerleading team, and operation of the GCCC dance team; the broadcast component of our Journalism/Student News Media Program; the string component of the GCCC Music Program, including the Southwest Kansas Music Academy; the Addiction Counseling degree program; all or part of the GCCC Automotive Technology Program; some components of our Drama Program; some courses and majors in the GCCC Division of Business and Information Systems; staffing for life enrichment programming in our Continuing Education and Community Services Division; and staffing in our custodial and grounds operations.

We're also likely to move much of our partnership participation with other schools, organizations and agencies from financial backing to in-kind participation and support, and there may be additional reductions as well.

Dedication to service

I've devoted approximately four decades to higher education, and considerations like these are among the most difficult a college president can make. I realize our decisions will have a direct effect on people's lives and livelihoods, and I honestly wish that they could be avoided.

However, I also realize that it's our job at GCCC to continue developing essential skills, providing academic advancement, preparing men and women for career success, enriching lives through learning, and supporting the economy through workforce development. Despite the difficulties imposed by today's economy, those things will most certainly continue.

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