January 1, 2009
President of NETC Explains Impact of State Budget Cuts on College Mission

During a press conference on the campus of Northeastern Technical College in Cheraw, college president Dr. Ron Bartley said that with less state funding, the college will be forced to provide less services.

“Eventually we will reach a point of diminishing returns and instead of doing more with less, as some would have us try to do, we will simply be able to do less,” he said.

This could be devastating to the South Carolina economy’s ability to recover he explained.

“Most estimates are that about 65 percent of the jobs needed for sustainability of economic growth require more than a high school diploma and less than a four-year degree,” he said.  “The technical colleges are the primary providers of that workforce but our ability to serve that need is being compromised.”

Since June, Northeastern Technical College’s state allocation has been reduced four times for a total of 24.4 percent less than the previous fiscal year.  Additional cuts are rumored. Bartley explained that the college has yet to finalize actions that account for a 7 percent cut in December and any additional cuts will force the college to take drastic measures.

Actions under consideration include elimination of some high cost programs such as manufacturing and healthcare related programs, two industries critical to the economic sustainability of the college’s service area.  Other actions include possible reductions in force, employee furloughs, reduction or elimination of temporary or part-time positions and closing or reducing access to the college’s satellite campuses in Pageland, Bennettsville and Dillon.

“All of theses actions will impact the mission of our college and how well we will be able to provide the services needed to support economic growth in Chesterfield, Marlboro and Dillon Counties,” said Bartley.

The State provides Northeastern Technical College 30 percent of its operational budget.  Fifteen percent comes from local governments and the remainder of the budget comes from student tuition and fees.

Tuition increases are not an option because the current rate has almost matched the state mandated tuition cap and more importantly, any tuition increases could reach the point of making college unaffordable for many said Bartley.

“Our mission is to provide open access to individuals, businesses and industries seeking occupational, technical, college transfer or continuing education programs to enhance their pathway to a future,” he said.  “But the time will come that we’ll need to make choices and the State of South Carolina needs to tell us which part of our mission we must give up if the funding is not there to support us.”