CCC Budget Cuts & Impact to KCCD
Letter from Chancellor's cabinet sent to BC_ALL on March 6, 2012 at 8:45 PM
From: Sandra Serrano <sserrano@kccd.edu>
Subject: CCC Budget Cuts & Impact to KCCD (Letter without signatures)
Date: March 6, 2012 8:43:10 PM PST
To: bc_all <bc_all@listserv.bakersfieldcollege.edu>
Dear Colleagues,
We have all been hearing the news about the state budget. That news changes daily. The latest news comes from the California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO). According to the LAO, the Governor’s proposed budget overstates tax revenue receipts by $6.5 billion over a two-year period. The growing state deficit could result in a reduction in the KCCD budget of between $13.2 and $17.8 million for the 2013 and 2014 budget years. The $17.8 million reduction for KCCD assumes that the Governor’s tax proposition will fail in November. This projected decline represents the largest decrease in ongoing unrestricted funding ever encountered by KCCD. This would be a cumulative decline of 15% - 19% in unrestricted revenue since 2007-08. The possible reduction of $17.8 million in KCCD funding roughly equals the budget for one of our colleges.
Working Together
The process for planning this change begins immediately. Today Chancellor’s Cabinet met with the college vice presidents and directors of administrative services to launch a planning process designed to include all constituencies. Our goal is to focus our resources on delivery of our core mission of transfer, career technical education (CTE) and basic skills by defining clear pathways to completion of required programs of study. In addition, all California community colleges are expected to increase the number of students who succeed. I am joined by the college presidents in calling on each of us to participate in developing our plan to best determine the educational needs of our students.
Fortunately, KCCD had the foresight to build up a significant reserve; however, the ongoing economic downturn and recovery have exceeded anything we projected or imagined. Reserves alone will not fully offset the projected budget deficit of up to $17.8 million. Available reserves are expected to be exhausted by the end of the next fiscal year. Moreover, reserves represent a one-time solution. Our challenge is to develop an ongoing solution that takes us beyond 2013. I am not saying the sky is falling; however, we must act quickly to preserve the quality education we provide to our students.
To achieve our goal, we must identify all changes to be implemented over a two-year budget period. This period commences with fiscal year 2012-13, and the plan must be developed by June of 2012 and fully implemented by July 1, 2013. In other words, we have until June 15, 2012 to define the core academic programs, student support services and administrative operations necessary to effectively fulfill our mission. This mission is to provide exceptional academic programs and support services to meet the needs of students and our communities.
Bottom line --- we must meet this challenge together by reinventing how we operate.
Lingering Question
Undoubtedly you are wondering whether there will be layoffs. With all the uncertainties, it is impossible to answer that question today. It is important to ensure we provide only what is fundamental to basic skills, career technical education and required for students to be transfer ready. We can prevail if we focus on our goal and remember to remain respectful of each other as we define all courses, programs, student support services and administrative operations that are required for our students to complete requisite pathways in basic skills, transfer, and vocational and associate degrees in high-demand disciplines.
It appears it will be many years until statewide economic recovery is attained. Unfortunately, KCCD does not have adequate reserves to get to that future point unless we make major changes now. With the significant decrease in resources, KCCD will have to emerge with a more focused mission than we have today. We must make this change to best serve our communities and students in the most effective manner possible with the resources that are available.
Our task is not easy, yet based upon experience, we are confident that together we are more than capable of overcoming this monumental challenge.
Sincerely,
Sandra V. Serrano, Chancellor Kern Community College District
Jill Board, President Cerro Coso Community College
Bob Jensen, President Bakersfield College
Rosa Carlson, President Porterville College
This page was last updated: March 9, 2012
Contact for this page: Nick Strobel
