New State Budget Will Affect Classes at Randolph Community College

The 2013-14 budget passed by the North Carolina State Legislature recently will force Randolph Community College to make some hard choices for this fall, according to RCC President Robert S. Shackleford Jr.
           
Overall, the General Fund appropriation for community colleges declines by 1.6% in the new budget. It includes a $2.50 per credit hour tuition increase for community college curriculum students and a continuing education registration fee increase of $5 per course. It also repeals the senior citizen tuition waiver.
           
Although 1.6% doesn’t sound like a large cut, it comes on top of cuts made by previous legislatures for the last several years. “It’s a compounded effect,” said Shackleford. “Between 2008 and 2012, our per-student funding has decreased 21% while enrollment increased 26%.” Shackleford said some community colleges are being forced to lay off personnel for the fall and others are eliminating programs, even premiere programs. “Those measures directly impact students and we will make every effort to minimize those kinds of cuts.”

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2013/2013-08-02.php.