Goals intact despite aid cut
Tyler Loring
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: News
Kirkwood Community College is feeling the strain of the economic recession.
This fiscal year Kirkwood was granted close to $24 million in state aid, 10 percent of which will be taken away because of budget cuts mandated Oct. 8 by Gov. Chet Culver.
"Ten percent across the board," President Mick Starcevich said. "Every agency that gets money from the state loses money."
For Kirkwood the loss is
$2.4 million, according to Starcevich.
Kirkwood will deal with this cut in a variety of ways, according to Starcevich.
"We will cut 5 percent from all of our non-personnel accounts, which will be a savings of $1 million," Starcevich said.
Starcevich said he is anticipating state cuts will go deeper, which will mean less money for next fiscal year, possibly another 10 percent less. Kirkwood will continue to look at ways to save money, he said.
Tuition at Kirkwood is $111 per credit hour. This price could be raised by $7 to $12, but nothing drastic will change in the price, according to Starcevich.
The budget cut is the only major funding issue that Kirkwood is currently dealing with, he said.
The budget cut will not affect class offerings, although a couple of administrative positions will be eliminated, according to Starcevich.
"One of the reasons Kirkwood is not feeling the strain as much as other community colleges in the area are facing is historically we have planned very well as far as our budget," Starcevich said.
According to Starcevich, the large enrollment increase that Kirkwood experienced this fall will take the sting out of the college's budget in the coming years. "We are well-positioned for the future.," he said.
This fiscal year Kirkwood was granted close to $24 million in state aid, 10 percent of which will be taken away because of budget cuts mandated Oct. 8 by Gov. Chet Culver.
"Ten percent across the board," President Mick Starcevich said. "Every agency that gets money from the state loses money."
For Kirkwood the loss is
$2.4 million, according to Starcevich.
Kirkwood will deal with this cut in a variety of ways, according to Starcevich.
"We will cut 5 percent from all of our non-personnel accounts, which will be a savings of $1 million," Starcevich said.
Starcevich said he is anticipating state cuts will go deeper, which will mean less money for next fiscal year, possibly another 10 percent less. Kirkwood will continue to look at ways to save money, he said.
Tuition at Kirkwood is $111 per credit hour. This price could be raised by $7 to $12, but nothing drastic will change in the price, according to Starcevich.
The budget cut is the only major funding issue that Kirkwood is currently dealing with, he said.
The budget cut will not affect class offerings, although a couple of administrative positions will be eliminated, according to Starcevich.
"One of the reasons Kirkwood is not feeling the strain as much as other community colleges in the area are facing is historically we have planned very well as far as our budget," Starcevich said.
According to Starcevich, the large enrollment increase that Kirkwood experienced this fall will take the sting out of the college's budget in the coming years. "We are well-positioned for the future.," he said.
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