RALEIGH – North Carolina Community College System leaders could be paving the way for a future bond referendum with their current budget request.
Leaders discussed the possibility of a bond referendum when approving, in November, a $1.11 billion budget request for the 2007-09 biennium. That budget request also seeks an additional $1.35 billion for capital needs. Vice President for Business and Finance Kennon Briggs admitted that the budget is large and may be unrealistic. Briggs did not say how much a possible bond would be or when the system would attempt a bond package.
“We have to state our case now and continue to pound the message,” Briggs said.
In all, the community college system is asking for $175 million in additional operating funds. Of those funds, $45.5 million would go towards faculty and staff salaries. Increasing salaries have been a constant theme of community college leaders in recent legislative sessions, as they attempt to boost salaries to the national average. Faculty and staff received a 6 percent increase in salary in the 2007 budget, as well as a 2 percent one-time bonus.
Spellings talks financial aid at national conference
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings intends to push for more need-based financial aid from Congress when Democrats take over in January, she said at the 2006 Federal Student Aid conference in Las Vegas attended mostly by financial aid officials and representatives from 2,000 institutions.
Increasing need-based aid is part of Spellings’ plans to improve the financial aid system, which she said is broken. Spellings also wants to eliminate red tape in the financial aid process and have students learn about their eligibility earlier in the process.
“We must improve the financial aid process to get help to students who need it most,” Spellings said.
Spellings’ plans for financial aid reflect the recommendations of the commission she appointed to look at the future of higher education. She is planning a conference in March to discuss recommendations from the report and how they are being implemented.
East Carolina reopens Dean of Students office
GREENVILLE – After a six-year hiatus, East Carolina University has reopened its Office of Dean of the Students within the Division of Student Life. The program will serve as a liaison for students to address concerns about student services on campus.
The new office will be oversee the school’s Counseling Center, Student Health Services, Parent Services, Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Disabilities Support Services, Victims Advocate Services, the Center for Off-Campus and Community Housing, and the school’s Ombudsman’s office.
Associate Vice Chancellor Lynn Roeder was named interim dean.
“There are deans for each college; this is the dean for students,” she said. “This office is a place for people to come to right away to navigate through the system, and get resolutions to their problems.”