A budget forum was held on Jan. 31 where a structural budget deficit was confirmed and a wide-range of recommendations to solve it were brought to the table.
As he steps into his first month at City College, Chris Renbarger, newly appointed assistant-superintendent and vice president of business services, provided an update on the current structural budget deficit. He expressed the importance of upholding key values throughout the process.
“All that [deficit] means is that expenses that we anticipate are higher than revenue that we anticipate,” Renbarger said. “It doesn’t mean it’s unsolvable.”
According to Renbarger’s report, expenses including salaries, benefits, utilities and software costs are all subject to increase while revenue primarily from the student-centered funding formula, are not keeping pace.
The student-centered funding formula is a way to distribute money to California Community Colleges based on the needs of the students they serve.
Renbarger said that the deficit is primarily driven by City College’s continued decrease in enrollment. Moreover, the current funding model for California Community Colleges is heavily constrained.
In an effort to combat the issue, he presented a two-pronged approach.
“What we’re asking for today is for folks to be self-reflected in your area, and think about either revenue increases or expense decreases that you can help assist.” Renbarger said.
The Board of Trustees sent out a google form to departments asking for recommendations prior to the meeting and the form remained open until Feb. 5.
Superintendent-President Erika Endrijonas listed each idea brought by the departments. All and any donations must go through the SBCC Foundation for tax deductibility.
Increase Revenue
- Increasing out-of-state or international student fees
- Leveraging the South Coast Regional Consortium for workforce development funding
- Partner with entertainment industries
- Weekly community farmers markets
- Partnering with four-year colleges and universities
- Adopt-a-Highway or Adopt-a-Revenue
Decrease Expenses
- Four-day work weeks
- Eliminate vacation pay
- Finding a space for the cosmetology department on campus
- Regular Administrative examinations
- Decrease printing
Endrijonas said many revenue projects are in process, an example being City College’s wedding venue. City College has made $1 million in revenue from this in 2023-2024.
The Budget Resource Allocation Committee (BRAC) will review the ideas brought up at the forum. This committee is in charge of overseeing where funds are going and making sure they are being used substantially.
Renbarger plans to additionally meet with each department chair to discuss their needs for next year starting the end of February.
“We will analyze available money and come up with a plan for what they have to spend,” Renbarger said.
He hopes to tackle any issues at hand by asserting these needs into requests for departments to send in at any time.
“The funding formula mechanism is beyond complicated,” Endrijonas said. “There’s nothing simple about it so I appreciate everybody’s effort in trying to understand it.”
Renbarger plans to create a detailed plan completed as to what each department has to spend by the end of March and beginning of April.
