College president asks for $1 million

A legislator says additional funds not likely

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — Dr. Mamie Golladay warned legislators last week that if the college does not get the $1 million increase asked for in the budget, it would mean personnel cuts that would lead to a decline in enrollments and a further erosion of funds.

Golladay, who addressed a meeting of the general services committee on Thursday, August 3, said she has laid off staff three times in the last nine years due to budget cutbacks, and the college cannot recover without additional county funds.

The request comes at a time when Sullivan County Community College (SCCC) is suffering diminished enrollment from outside the county because the college has raised its standards. Two years ago, almost anyone with a high school diploma or equivalency degree could enroll in the college. Golladay said, however, that practice led to numerous ill-prepared students dropping out and not paying full tuition, which left the college facing further debts.

Now, students can’t enroll unless that have a grade point average of 68 or better, which Golladay said is still low, but it has raised the academic level of SCCC and led to a higher enrollment of students from within the county. Still, the new policy meant the college turned away some 300 students and their tuition money for the coming year.

Golladay said that without the increased funds SCCC can’t compete with the neighboring community college in Orange County. She said, “Students go there to get health sciences course that we don’t have the resources to offer.” She added that without the increase, the college would be forced to cut back on the nursing program and other popular programs, such as those offered on evenings and weekends.

Members of the SCCC board supported Golladay’s position. Harold Diamond, who’s been on the board for 36 years, expressed his concern about the college’s future. He said the goal is to “make this a college of choice, not a college of last resort.”

Phyllis Coombs, chairwoman of the SCCC board, asked the legislature to “be creative” in finding a funding solution.

In response to the request, Legislator Jonathan Rouis, chairman of the finance committee, thanked Golladay for her frankness, but said he would be equally frank in his reply. He indicated that the only way to grant the budget increase would be to raise property taxes and said, “property taxes are driving residents out of the county… There’s no way I can see that we can absorb an additional $1 million in funding.”

Under state law, 33.3 percent of college funding comes from tuition, 33.3 percent from the state and 33.3 percent from the county. Golladay said the county rarely meets its full obligation and the state never does. For the 2005–06 year, the budget was $15,476,669.

The legislature tabled the resolution regarding the SCCC budget until a meeting on Thursday, August 10.