Funding cuts wouldn't hurt WCTC plans for expansion

Douglasville, GA - February 28, 2007

Douglas County Sentinel, By Staff Writer Winston Jones

While West Central Technical College (WCTC) could face some personnel cuts next year due to state funding problems, Douglasville campus expansion plans would no be affected. WCTC President Skip Sullivan said Wednesday that plans for the new $9 million building and the College and Career Institute (CCI) would not be subject to the state funding cutbacks.

Funding for the new building comes from a $5 million state grant approved last year by the General Assembly and another $4 million from the Douglas County School System. CCI is due to open August 2008 and will provide dual enrollment opportunities for Douglas County high school students who want to earn both high school and college credits for certain courses. CCI is a joint effort of WCTC, the school system and the Douglas County Chamber of Commerce and the business community. “The estimated reduction in personnel appropriations (for all WCTC) is $300,000,” Sullivan said. “Certainly layoffs are possible, but we’re too early in the budget planning process to make recommendations.

These layoffs could include instructors, administrators and staff members, he said. Statewide, technical college funding is due to be cut by $7.16 billion because state funding is based on student enrollment, which has fallen overall for the past two years. However, WCTC is among 13 of the state’s 34 technical colleges that has shown growth. “We’re at all-time record enrollments,” Sullivan said, “up between 4 and 5 percent over last year. “The bottom line is we’re going to deliver good service to the students in our area,” Sullivan said.

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