Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Higher Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sussex County Community College president warns state budget cuts could force tuition hikes, program cuts
Summary
Dr. Corey Homer told Sussex County commissioners that Governor Murphy's proposed budget would cut community college funding statewide by about $64 million and would likely reduce Sussex County Community College funding by roughly $400,000'$500,000, jeopardizing student supports and programs.
Dr. Corey Homer, president of Sussex County Community College, told the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners on March 26 that proposed state budget cuts would sharply reduce funding for New Jersey's community college sector and would force program reductions and tuition increases at small, rural colleges.
Homer said Governor Phil Murphy's proposed budget would cut approximately $64 million from community college funding statewide and that those cuts would translate to about $400,000 to $500,000 less for Sussex County Community College. "For a small rural community college like us, that means higher tuition for our students, that means cutting programs, cutting faculty, cutting staff," Homer said.
The presentation included a list of specific programs Homer said would be affected: the Centers for Adult Transition, which he said would face a roughly 50% cut; the dual enrollment pilot program for high-school concurrent enrollment, which he said would be cut in half; and the Hunger Free Campus initiative, which Homer said would lose about $600,000 in the governor's proposal and put the college's Horton Nutrition Center at risk. Homer said Sussex County Community College serves more than 3,000 students a year and that the college's annual economic footprint is about $72 million.
"These cuts essentially mean unmet need for those students on campus," Homer said, describing work the college has done to testify at the Statehouse. He said the college plans to form an action committee and to ask the public to send letters to legislators to restore the funding.
A state lawmaker who identified himself as a member of the Senate Budget Committee addressed the commissioners after Homer. He said he and his colleagues had "railed against the extensive cuts" and described the cuts as particularly damaging to rural counties. "There's such a multiplier effect with education," the senator said, adding that community colleges supply local skilled workers and that cuts would ripple through local businesses.
Commissioner Henderson asked what residents could do to help. Homer said the college would request public letters to legislators and that community members could expect outreach from the college and student government. "You'll start to see legislative actions coming out of the college with requests to the public to write letters on our behalf," Homer said.
Why it matters: county commissioners and community leaders said the cuts threaten not only degree programs but also wraparound services used by students who face housing and food insecurity. Commission remarks during the meeting urged local support for the college's lobbying efforts.
No formal county action was taken on the presentation; commissioners and the college discussed outreach and advocacy steps. Homer asked the public and county officials to join efforts to restore funding in the state budget.
The commissioners hearing the presentation included Director Carney, Deputy Director Space and Commissioner Henderson. Homer and the senator were the primary outside speakers on the item. The college provided fact sheets to the commissioners and public at the meeting.
