The state’s uncertain budget has put Allen County Community College’s plans for offering contracts to faculty for 2010-11 on hold. Trustees were told Thursday that since legislators have yet to come up with a budget, the college still does not know whether to expect further cuts in state aid. That information is vital in determining whether the college must let go any non-tenured employees before the start of the next school year.
In any other year, the college is required by law to notify its faculty by May 1 whether their contracts will be renewed for the upcoming school year, which officially begins July 1.
The lawmakers — who understood their failure to come up with a budget puts all sorts of school boards and colleges in a pinch — have passed a bill postponing the notification deadline until May 21. The bill has yet to be signed into law by Gov. Mark Parkinson, ACCC President John Masterson said.
If the governor does not sign the bill — thus keeping the May 1 deadline in place — trustees will call a special meeting for April 28 to discuss its 2010-11 spending plan. If Masterson signs the bill to extend the notification deadline, the college can hope to know by its May 13 meeting whether further budget cuts are needed.
Even without legislative action, the college is putting together the framework for its 2010-11 budget, said Steve Troxel, vice president for finance and operations.
The college had to withstand a 12-percent cut in state aid this year and expects state aid to be static. But until legislators act, there’s not way to know, he conceded. “And (the state) may still be talking about this on June 1,” Troxel said.
If state aid stays the same, the college’s budget deficit stands at about $700,000. That number is in line with previous years before Troxel and department heads cut away at spending requests.
“The budget process has gone pretty smoothly,” Troxel said. “I don’t think there will be many major differences from last year.”
AFTER nearly a year of planning, ACCC and Fort Scott Community College will officially begin their first collaborative class in the fall, said John Marshall, ACCC’s vice president for academic affairs.
A calculus class will be taught by instructor Karen McKarnin at the Iola campus and broadcast to students at FSCC through an interactive television system. The classes also will be broadcast to a classroom at ACCC’s outreach campus in Burlingame.
The schools pledged last May to work together on joint classes. Since then, Marshall and administrators at FSCC have worked to hammer out details, such as making sure calendars and curriculums are aligned, Marshall said.
“Once that is in place, we’ll start to work on the next (classes),” Marshall said.
TRUSTEES agreed that ACCC would participate in a neighborhood revitalization plan if such a project takes place in Gas. The college has similar agreements in Iola and LaHarpe, in which taxing entities agree to refund a portion of increased taxes from taxpayers improving their property.
Trustees approved the purchase of three new vehicles, a 15-passenger Ford van from Twin Motors of Iola, a Dodge minivan from Shields Motors of Chanute and a Chevy Cobalt compact car from Ranz Motors, Chanute. With trade-in, Twin’s bid of $20,900 was the lower of two received for the van; Shields had the only bid for the minivan, $16,533 with trade-in. Ranz’s bid for the Chevy Cobalt, $10,450 with trade-in, was the lowest of three received.
The resignation of Jeremy McGinnis, assistant soccer coach for both men’s and women’s soccer teams and a residence hall director, was accepted, effective May 31.
Dan Christie, ACCC class of 1983, was named as the college’s distinguished alumnus for 2010. Christie will deliver the keynote address at commencement ceremonies May 15.
