By Susan Tallant/editor-in-chief
Meeting last week, TCC board members approved the 2007-08 operating budget, which included a plan to fix the $9.2 million gap resulting from Governor Perry’s veto of group health insurance appropriations for faculty and staff of community colleges.
“ Nine point two million is not too much fun,” Dr. Leonardo de la Garza, chancellor, said.
De la Garza said the funds are simply not available for restoration and any changes in legislation will not take place until the House meets again in 2009.
“ This not only affects current employees but retirees as well,” he said. “We have to cover both until the state comes up with a solution.”
The new operating budget, approved at $368,023,184, was developed to restore the loss of funds.
De la Garza said if the state restores the allocations, the budget could be amended to relocate monies to the previously designated areas.
De la Garza said the next legislative session will be critical.
“ We must not only continue to seek the support of our legislators, but ask them to serve as champions for the college.”
WHAT WAS CUT
In order to fix the budget reductions for the governor’s veto actions, the new budget includes a $4.6 million reduction in the following eight areas: mail services, quality service initiatives, reserve-enrollment growth, software applications support, innovation initiatives, institutional memberships, operating budgets and, the largest reduction, the freezing of vacant positions.
WHAT WAS RAISED
Full-time employees will receive an across-the-board salary increase of 3 percent and the adjuncts pay was raised by 50 cents per contact hour.
Out-of-district tuition was increased by $10 per semester credit hour, out-of-state and out-of-country tuition was increased by $15 per hour. In-district tuition remains at $50 per semester credit hour.
OTHER ACTION
Commonfund, a company that manages funds for 72 of the nation’s top 100 educational endowments, was added to the TCCD list of approved investment brokers for the purpose of investing funds from oil and gas reserves to provide scholarships.
For the sixth consecutive year, the board voted to not increase the total tax rate. The rate is currently set at $0.13938.
Also approved was a tax exemption for disabled and senior citizens.
The board next meets 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, in the SSTU Living Room on South Campus.
