Community college leaders press for more state funding
HARRISBURG – Gov. Ed Rendell has said he wants to “grow our economy” back to prosperity. Community college presidents say their schools are the perfect place to plant his seeds. With approximately 160,000 students attending the state’s 14 community colleges, they serve as a breeding ground for the state’s workforce, preparing students for careers in health, business, computers, and others, school officials said. But unless lawmakers give them more funds, they will not be able to continue to educate and train as many Pennsylvanians. And the economy, in turn, will continue to suffer.
“Colleges are looking at tuition and/or academic fee increases for the next academic year if the state is unable to provide its full share of funding for the upcoming fiscal year,” said Stephen Curtis, president of the Community College of Philadelphia.
Unlike other colleges in the state, community colleges are funded partially by the state based on a per student basis. For the past three years, the state has been reimbursing each community college $1,500 per full-time student. Community colleges get the rest of their funds through tuition and community sponsors, such as local school districts or county governments.
For the upcoming academic year, community college officials are expecting a 5 percent increase in enrollment. In the past, the state has always provided enough funding to cover subsidies for the additional students, but the upcoming year is in doubt.
The state’s 14 community colleges, which collectively received about 8 percent increase in funding for the current fiscal year, are slated to receive no additional funds next fiscal year, which starts in July.
“We’re looking at a [multi] million dollar shortfall,” statewide, said Joe D. Forrester, president of Community College of Beaver County. “If we have any kind of enrollment increase next year, we will have a deficit,” unless funding is increased. This could translate into higher tuition for students, which could preclude some Pennsylvanians from getting an education or training they need to get a good job.
Community college presidents, trustees and students gathered at a rally in the Capitol Tuesday afternoon to lobby lawmakers, who are currently engaged in state budget talks. If they’re sincere about investing in the state’s future, stopping the mass exodus of young people from the state and growing the economy, then they ought to invest in community colleges, the group of about 50 people said.
To prove their importance to workforce development, the community colleges released the preliminary findings of an economic impact study. It found that statewide about 500,000 residents (or six percent) age 25 and over have received an associate’s degree as their highest level of schooling. In addition, between 2000 and 2002, community colleges statewide produced in degree and certificate programs:
47,000 students in business and administrative service-related programs
26,000 students in health professional and related services
21,000 students in education related programs
16,000 students in computer and information services
11,000 students in protective service-related programs
10,000 students in engineering and engineering-related technologies
9,000 students in construction and precision production-related programs
“Community colleges have long played a role in workforce development – indeed, it is a part of our primary mission,” said James J. Linksz, president of both Bucks County Community College and the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges. “This preliminary study is only a snapshot of the tremendous value and impact our community colleges have on Pennsylvanians.”