Laurel Ridge asks Warren County for $41,205 to cover prorated student scholarships

Laurel Ridge Community College asked the Warren County Board of Supervisors on Thursday to allocate $41,205 to the college’s local scholarship and support fund for the coming fiscal year.

The request is a prorated share of a $364,000 multi-county budget, Corey Thompson, vice president for finance and administration at Laurel Ridge, told the board. "The prorated portion of enrollment for Laurel Ridge, based on a $364,000 budget," Thompson said, adding the allocation to Warren County this year is $41,205.

Thompson said the county share is not a new appropriation: the college’s allocation can fluctuate year to year as enrollment shifts. "Sometimes there is fluctuation to the calculation just based on enrollment changes that may go up and down, by county each year," he said.

Thompson described how the college spends the funds. "First and foremost, the majority of the funds, which is now I believe is 60% of the funding, goes directly towards college scholarships," he said, explaining those scholarships are awarded to graduating high-school students from the county for use the following academic year. Other line items in the college budget include local board support, faculty and staff development, and student excellence supports such as enhanced mental-health services; Thompson said non-scholarship support across all counties totals about $64,000.

Board members asked whether the enrollment formula counts both for-credit and noncredit students and whether dual-enrolled high-school students are included. Thompson said the college’s formula includes for-credit students and dual-enrollment for-credit seats but excludes workforce (noncredit) programs, which are funded separately by their own revenue. He also said dual enrollment accounts for a substantial portion of the college’s FTEs.

Thompson said Laurel Ridge employs about 25 full-time and 40 part-time workers who live in Warren County and that the funds help support scholarships and other student services. The college’s full packet and the board’s materials include a breakdown of the college board budget that outlines those line items.

No formal vote on the request was recorded in the transcript; the college’s request was presented for the board’s consideration.

Looking ahead, Thompson warned the board about possible statewide changes to dual-enrollment funding under pending legislation and said Laurel Ridge is tracking the potential impact on college revenues and local allocations.