May 12, 2017
The East Central Community College Board of Trustees this week approved the college’s 2017-18 budget plan aimed at offsetting a $1.04 million reduction in state appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2017.
The budget plan, which includes expenditure reductions and revenue increases, was approved at the board’s May meeting held on the Decatur campus.
“Planning for the 2017-18 budget at East Central Community College was one of the most difficult things I’ve done in my 25 years in education,” said ECCC President Dr. Billy Stewart. “Having to account for an actual decrease in state funding of $1.04 million and an additional possible mid-year decrease in state appropriations in an operational budget of just $22 million proved to be extremely difficult in light of the uncertainty of the state’s fiscal condition in fiscal year 2018.”
Stewart said that all options for revenue increases and expenditure reductions were considered in preparing the 2017-18 budget plan for presentation to the Board of Trustees, while “being mindful of doing everything we could to minimize the impact on the outstanding education and services we provide our students and our five-county district.”
Among the strategies for reducing expenditures are continuation during the next fiscal year of a hiring freeze that became effective in March, freezing all employee salaries at current levels, a 20 percent reduction over the previous fiscal year in several non-salary and non-travel expense line items in most departmental budgets, elimination in most budgets of equipment line items, a 25 percent across-the-board reduction in in-state travel line items, and the elimination of out-of-state travel budget line items in most cases.
Stewart said that six full-time positions that became vacant since the hiring freeze was implemented have not been filled and current employees are absorbing the workload in those areas. He added that only essential in-state travel and out-of-state travel as defined by the college using state funds, non-reimbursable funds, or non-grant funds will be approved beginning July 1, 2017.
Strategies in the budget plan to increase revenue include a $250 per semester tuition increase beginning in fall 2017, from $1,040 to $1,290. Room fees will increase $75 per semester in all ECCC dormitories. The college’s Five-Day Meal Plan will increase $60 per semester and the Seven Day Meal Plan will increase $70 per semester.
“Increases in tuition and fees and room and board are inevitable for both two-year and four-year colleges and universities; however, East Central has done a very good job over the years to keep its tuition the most affordable in the state,” noted Stewart.
Stewart said based on preliminary reports from other community and junior colleges in the state, he believes all 15 institutions will increase tuition and that East Central students will continue to benefit from the lowest tuition in the state of Mississippi.
“We are fortunate that because of our high enrollment numbers in recent years that tuition for ECCC students has only increased $100, or 10 percent, over the past five years, compared to an average increase of $204, or 21.5 percent, among all of the other community and junior colleges in the state in that same time period.”
Stewart added that East Central has not increased room fees in six years, since the 2011-12 fiscal year.
According to Stewart, Valley Services Inc., the college’s food service provider, is currently renovating Mabry Memorial Cafeteria to provide a more modern dining experience and more dining options for students beginning with the fall 2017 semester.
There also will be a $20 per credit hour per semester increase—from $95 to $115—for part-time students, or those who enroll in fewer than 15 semester credit hours. The number of credit hours a student can take per semester and only pay the full-time tuition rate was capped at 21. Any semester hours a student takes above 21 will be charged at the part-time credit hour rate of $115 per credit hour in addition to the full-time tuition charge.
These strategies in the 2017-18 budget plan not only address the actual reduction in state appropriations of $1.04 million, but are also aimed at addressing a possible additional reduction in state funding of up to $400,000 during the upcoming fiscal year which begins July 1.
“Based on the potential for state revenue shortfalls and the implementation of new tax cuts during the upcoming fiscal year, East Central Community College must be prepared to absorb additional state budget cuts that may come during the year,” explained Stewart.
“Should the college experience additional mid-year decreases in state and/or local appropriations or in student tuition and fees above $1.4 million, other cost-cutting measures will need to be considered and implemented.”
ECCC has already experienced reductions in state appropriations totaling $642,103 during the current 2017 fiscal year that began July 1, 2016. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant announced those four cuts in September, January, February and March. Stewart said that effective fiscal planning and budget management allowed the college to withstand the four separate cuts during this current fiscal year without a major disruption in programs and services.
“These are difficult financial times in the state of Mississippi, and with that come difficult decisions,” said Stewart. “ECCC is not alone in facing these financial challenges as I anticipate that every institution of higher education in our state will have revenue increases and expenditure reductions in place as we begin the new fiscal year July 1.
“Our top priority remains to ensure that our students continue to receive the best community college education in the state with the services they need to succeed both here and in the future, and at the end of the day that is what we will do.”
