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| Community college base aid cut by $65 per full-time equivalent (FTE) Average state share for community colleges drops to 29% October 2004 DOWNLOAD: COMPLETE BULLETINThis PDF file includes a comparative chart of community colleges 2004-05 budget net costs and revenues. [84K] In January 2004, Governor Pataki proposed cutting Base Aid for community colleges from $2,300 to $2,185 per full-time equivalent (FTE), a reduction of $115 per FTE. In the budget that the Legislature adopted in August 2004, the Legislature restored the $115 per FTE cut in Base Aid and added an additional $50 per FTE. Unfortunately, Governor Pataki vetoed the $115 per FTE restoration made by the Legislature. However, the additional $50 per FTE was enacted, resulting in a net $65 per FTE reduction in Base Aid from $2,300 to $2,235. Based on past history and the promise from members of the State Legislature, nearly all of the community colleges built their budgets assuming that base aid would be restored to at least the previous year's funding level of $2,300 per FTE. With the lateness of the state budget and the Governor's vetoes taking place just days before the start of the September 1 fiscal year, community colleges were forced to make last minute cuts to their budget or manage the reduction in Base Aid through the use of fund balances. According to the 2004-05 Budget Overview from SUNY, "The majority of community college campuses are managing this reduction through the use of fund balances. However, if 2005-06 remains at this reduced level, it is likely that campuses will have to implement permanent spending reductions and/or further tuition increases." STATE SHARE OF NET OPERATING COST DROPS TO 29% Although community colleges are suppose to receive 40% of their net operating costs from state aid, 33.3% from student tuition revenue, and 26.7% from the local sponsor, the average state aid share for 2004-05 is just 29%, with individual campuses ranging from 17.1% to 36.8%. The average share of net operating costs from student tuition is 39.1%, with individual campuses ranging from 27.3% to 47.5%. The average share of net operating costs from the local sponsor is 32.0%, with individual campuses ranging from 19.5% to 55.6%. The following page provides the net operating cost, the state operating aid, student tuition revenue, and local sponsor revenue for each of the community colleges for 2004-05. DOWNLOAD: COMPLETE BULLETIN |
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