North Carolina’s FY 2010-11 State Budget: Community Colleges

The 2010 Budget
Introduction
General Government
Public Education
UNC System
Community Colleges
Justice and Public Safety
Health and Human Services
Transportation
Natural and Economic Resources

The finalized 2010-11 budget for the Community College system finds a middle ground between the Senate and House budget proposals, increasing funding for FY 2010-11 by $42.7 million.

The final budget increased funding for the Community College system primarily in order to support the large influx of students (over 15 percent more than expected) that enrolled in the previous academic year.

Another notable inclusion was the restoration of funding ($21 million) for the Prisoner Education Program, which survived a continuation review conducted in 2009.

Major expansions and reductions include:

Expansions:

• Restore Funding for Prisoner Education: $21 million. Following the Continuation Review in 2009, the General Assembly will restore substantial funding to the Prisoner Education Program. Funding will not be restored, however, for prisoner education in federal prisons, local jails, or programs not related to job skills or basic skills education. This is a reduction from the FY 2007-8 budget appropriations of $32.9 million.
• Minority Male Mentoring: $900,000. Provides funding to assist Minority Male Mentoring programs in the Community College system, specifically those that offer services in personal and academic counseling, drug intervention, and personal growth and development.
• Fully Fund Enrollment Growth: $81 million. Provides funding to support enrollment growth of the community college system, which has increased 15.3 percent over the adjusted budgeted enrollment figures of 2009-10.

Reductions:

•  Management Flexibility Reduction: $15 million. The State Board of Community Colleges will distribute the reduction amongst the community colleges, taking into consideration the needs to each college. The flexibility reduction will not impact activities directly involved in retraining displaced workers.
• Tuition Increase: $30 million. Increases the tuition per credit hour for residents by $6.50 (totaling $56.50) and $7.20 for nonresidents (totaling $248.50). Tuition for full-time students will increase by a maximum of $208 per year. The tuition increase allows for a decrease in state support.
• Elimination of Community College Office Positions: $575,000. The following positions are a few of the Community College System office positions that will be eliminated: Education Program Director, Technology Support Analyst, Information Technology Manager, and  Business Officer.