For 29 days, TCC students were asked to trust a budget they weren’t allowed to see.
Without access to the full budget, students had no opportunity to understand or question the decision to reduce the funding of an individual program.
TCC delayed the release of this year’s full budget for over two weeks after the fiscal year began, raising legitimate questions about transparency and accountability.
In a year where public institutions are facing immense challenges, it is even more crucial that students who pay for the privilege of an education at TCC know how their money is spent, and which classes and programs are most affected.
TCC’s ability to raise revenue has been severely limited due to decreased funding and Gov. Greg Abbott’s freeze on tuition and fees, forcing the board to enact a property tax increase and program cuts.
Nobody is denying the challenging position that the college is in, and the board has shown a commitment to facing issues head-on. After multiple attempts to find other ways to raise funds, their hands have been tied.
However, the public has every right to have access to a detailed breakdown of TCC’s budget before it is put to a vote.
The board did not post the full proposed budget on its website ahead of the Aug. 20 vote, and it was not in the agenda packet. Instead, they presented very broad overviews of revenues and expenses.
The full budget was not released on TCC’s website until Sept. 18. Not a single community speaker at the Aug. 20 meeting brought up the proposed budget. Maybe that’s because they didn’t know how extensive the cuts would be and what programs would be affected.
Students and faculty had no voice in the matter and were left in the dark for 29 days.
On Sept. 16, The Collegian filed an open records request for the full budget. Two days later, the college posted the budget on its website. Ten business days after the request was filed — the maximum time allowed by law — the college responded with a link to that same budget.
One media law expert raised the subject that TCC may have violated state law by delaying the release of the budget. Even if TCC did not violate the law, is this truly the fairest and most beneficial system for the people who fund TCC?
A line-item budget provides an unambiguous picture of the college’s priorities. It allows students and faculty to have their questions answered about where cuts are being made. They should not have to wait until the budget is adopted to be able to see it.
The 2027 budget shows sweeping cuts, particularly to art, drama and dance programs across the district. The NE drama department was blindsided when it discovered its budget would be cut 57%. Students who signed up for classes last semester are facing real consequences with scrapped productions and reduced set construction.
Students who choose TCC don’t enroll because it’s the most prestigious college in Dallas-Fort Worth. They come because TCC offers a wide range of affordable options.
When students are left out of discussions that impact whether they can follow their passions, they will simply not return. This hurts both TCC and students by limiting opportunities, discouraging campus involvement and making students feel that their interests are not valued.
We deserve to be able to analyze the college’s proposed budget and have an opportunity to voice our concerns to the college before a vote is held.
When the board meets next August, it should publish the complete proposed budget on its website, not just an overview, at least three days before adoption as the law requires.
