A financial emergency at SFCC
Higher education at Santa Fe Community College is nearing a state of emergency. Because of the lack of a state budget for higher education, leaders at colleges and universities across New Mexico are being forced to make very difficult decisions on how to balance their budgets in time for the start of the new fiscal year and school year. The risks are numerous. The stakes are high. Students have a lot to lose. As a community, so do we.
Because of these unprecedented financial circumstances, the Santa Fe Community College Governing Board is faced with the task of balancing a budget without any certainty of state funding. It is important to note that the college has already absorbed 8 percent in cuts from state appropriation over the past two years. This latest round of budget uncertainty only adds to what has been an ongoing squeeze on higher education that has lasted for years. The only thing we do know is that even if the state is able to pass a budget for higher education, funding will be substantially less than last year.
If the college were to be forced to cover the shortfall for the vetoed state funding for higher education, SFCC would have to increase a full-time student’s tuition from approximately $1,440 to $4,788 annually, more than three times the current rate. Of course, the college will not ask students to shoulder the burden of the state’s financial woes alone.
On Wednesday, the college Governing Board declared a “Bona Fide Financial Emergency,” which means the college must address an actual or impending immediate financial crisis that threatens the continuation of operations. This illustrates how dire the situation has become. By law, the college is required to balance its budget annually, even without state appropriations. For the college to continue providing services to its students come July 1, 2017, the Governing Board will have to consider a series of options including: Tuition and fees increases; Elimination of academic programs; Not filling vacant positions; Furloughs; Reductions in force. None of these options bode well for the future of our college. For every dollar we raise tuition, students are forced to make decisions to take fewer courses — thereby increasing the time it takes to make it to a better job and a better life for their families. Academic program closures mean students do not have access to a diversity of educational offerings in their community. Vacant positions, furloughs and reductions in force impact our employees, our local economy and prevent the college from offering the quality of education that our students deserve. However, in order to balance the budget, some of these options will have to be implemented.
As we read the headlines about the state’s budget, it is sometimes hard to recognize how the situation affects our community. On May 13, 877 students will proudly walk across the stage and graduate from SFCC with certificates and degrees. Plainly put — the impact of state cuts will lessen our ability to provide the same opportunity to the students who come after them. The Governing Board at SFCC will do everything possible to maintain a stable institution that offers the best educational experience to our students and strengthens our community.