CCC seeks funding increase from legislature

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July 3, 2008

College asks for 3.9 percent increase from county

By JOE LoTEMPLIO The Press Republican Thu Jul 03, 2008, 12:00 AM EDT

PLATTSBURGH -- Clinton Community College officials are seeking an increase in funding from the County Legislature for the 2008-09 school year.

A tuition increase is also being proposed.

The two-year school is asking for an increase of $84,537 or 3.9 percent more than what they received last year from the county.

If the request is approved, the college will get $2,252,167 from the county, which meets the county's state requirement for providing at least 27 percent of funding for a community college.

Last year, the college asked for and received an increase in funding of $160,088.

The increase this year will help pay for new programs, more recruitment and retention of students and increased operating costs.

CCC is developing a new wind-technology program in response to the growing number of wind farms in the North Country.

A fine-arts program is also being introduced and two old programs, electronic and computer technology, are being reactivated.

CCC Interim President Fred Woodward said the new wind-technology program will be the only one of its kind in the state.

Other increasing costs include an 11.3-percent hike in employee benefits and a 3.3-percent increase in salaries.

CCC Vice President for Business Affairs Thomas Moffett said the rise in health-care costs continues to be alarming.

"The benefits cost has increased much more than the salaries," he said.

"Something is wrong with this."

The college also budgeted conservatively for heating expenses despite predictions of rising fuel-oil costs.

"We don't heat a lot," Moffett said, adding that the boiler room staff is often flooded with telephone calls from freezing staffers.

"If that happens (costs go way up), we will squeeze elsewhere in the budget."

CCC is considering going to a four-day schedule, which would help alleviate some heating costs, Woodward added.

In addition to receiving state and local funding, CCC will increase tuition by $90 per semester, making tuition costs for a full year $3,400.

"We're still in the middle of the pack," Moffett told legislators at Wednesday night's Finance Committee meeting.

To help offset the budget expenses, CCC is using about $225,000 from its fund balance. That would leave a fund balance of about $1,113,000.

Legislators will hold a public hearing on the college's budget request July 23 and will vote on it later that evening.

"We are happy to have you in our community," Finance Committee Chairman Robert Heins (R-Area 10, City of Plattsburgh) said.

"You definitely provide an exciting educational opportunity for the people of the North Country, and we appreciate it."

jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com