Northeast Iowa Community College is facing a potential $1 million budget shortfall because of a drop in state funding. On Tuesday school officials released the details of the first level of cuts to keep their budget in balance.
The school says it is eliminating the Emergency Medical Technician credit program, the Business Accelerator program in Dubuque and the evening/weekend nursing program. It will also set enrollment caps on the nursing and allied health programs and will eliminate several smaller clinical sites in those programs.
Funding for the two Child Development Centers in Calmar and Peosta will also be reviewed. The centers currently receive around $360,000 in subsidies from the college annually.
NICC officials will study whether additional cuts are necessary after they get a better picture of the number of employees taking early retirement; the impact of contract negotiations with the faculty and support staff unions; increases in health insurance costs; and increases in other fixed costs, especially utilities.
Community colleges cannot levy for additional taxpayer support to offset the decrease in state support. As a result, increased student tuition now accounts for about 50 percent of the college�s operating budget.
While NICC is being forced to cut its budget, its credit hour enrollment increased 14 percent in the spring semester 2010. This is on top of 15 and 16 percent jumps in each of the previous fall and summer 2009 terms.
"Our commitment to our students and northeast Iowa has not changed," stated NICC President Dr. Wills. "We are focused on continuing to deliver the quality education our students and our communities have come to expect from us."