Broward College to raise class sizes, close site

Broward College plans to increase class sizes, cut vacant positions and close a small academic site to deal with a $5.1 million decline in revenues.

The state cut $2 million in funding to the college this year, and a projected enrollment drop of several hundred students will mean the loss of several million in tuition, administrators said Tuesday.

College officials declined to increase tuition and fees to make up the money, saying they’ll use savings to buffer many of the cuts.

“We’re trying to maintain an affordable education for students,” said Broward College PresidentDavid Armstrong.

The average class size will increase from22 to 24 students, said senior vice president Tom Olliff. The larger class size will put Broward College at “roughly the average for colleges in South Florida. We’ve been below the average,” he said.

No layoffs are planned, but most vacant positions will remain unfilled. There also will be fewer classes taught by adjunct professors.

Students will no longer be able to take classes at the college’s Coral Springs building on Sample Road and University Drive. Students and faculty will be moved to the north campus in Coconut Creek.

The Coral Springs site, which the college leased since 2012, has seen enrollment drop from about 1,000 students in 2015 to 649 in spring 2017.

Despite the reductions, Broward College officials say they are funding a new $1 million summer program for high school graduates. It is also spending about $2.2 million on software toimprove financial aid, student class schedules and other areas.

About $1.2 million is being budgeted for employees to receive an average 1 percent merit raise. The college is also spending about $350,000 to ensure its lowest paid employees, now making $11.86 to $13.36 per hour, will make a minimum of $15 per hour.

Broward College isn’t the only school tightening its belt. Community colleges received about $30 million in cuts from the Legislature this year.

Palm Beach State College faces$1million in cuts and is dropping its Small Business Development Center, housed on the Boca Raton campus, and its Center forAppliedEthics on the Lake Worth campus, spokeswoman TabathaMcDonald said.

Miami Dade College is facing a $5.5 million cut and will “be even more industrious and resourceful to mitigate the impact of these reductions on students,” spokesman Juan Mendieta said.

stravis@sunsentinel.com, 561-243-6637 or Twitter @smtravis