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Columbia‑Greene Community College outlines austerity budget, seeks new revenue paths
Summary
College leaders told Greene County officials they will adopt an austerity budget for 2025–26, pursue program consolidation and new certificate pathways, and pause some capital spending while awaiting final SUNY approvals for a proposed nursing program.
Columbia‑Greene Community College leadership presented an austerity budget plan to members of the Greene County meeting, saying the school will reduce reliance on fund balance and seek new revenue sources to stabilize finances.
The college’s vice president, Amanda Bishop, said, “This year during our budget season, we're going into what's called an austerity budget for the year,” and described steps including right‑sizing staff and revising fee structures to align with other SUNY community colleges. President Drummer, who said he is retiring June 30, introduced Bishop and Provost Victoria Walsh at the meeting.
The college said it moved 91 retirees from the college plan to Medicare, producing an initial savings of $500,000. Leaders also described an early retirement buyout that 11 of 18 eligible faculty accepted and a subsequent round of layoffs affecting 17 positions as part of a broader “institutional sustainability plan.” Bishop said the college will not include volatile prison‑education revenue in its baseline budget after near‑losses tied to program closures.
College officials said the prison education program accounts for a large share of enrollment — “about 38% of our enrollment,” Bishop said — and that the college recently hired an external programs manager to oversee that and other continuing‑education pathways. The college has also hired a dean of health professions while it awaits final SUNY approval for a nursing program; leaders said a fall 2025 start is a goal but not yet certain.
Provost Victoria Walsh described work to develop faster certificate and cohort models — for example, EMT/paramedic and short career certificates — that may avoid full SUNY degree approval when appropriate. Bishop said the college will not raise tuition this year but is reviewing course fees and facility rental rates, which she said had not been updated since 2010.
College officials asked the county for continued partnership and offered to return to answer questions outside the annual budget cycle. They said they will share the executive summary of the sustainability plan with Greene County and invited county officials to follow up for additional detail.
Background: college leaders said state support for New York community colleges remains well below historical levels and noted statewide advocacy through the New York Association of Community College Presidents. The college described seeking a mix of enrollment, grants and program revenue to stabilize operations moving forward.
Looking ahead: officials said they will continue program consolidation, pursue certificate and short‑term training options, and monitor SUNY decisions on the nursing program. The college asked for continued county collaboration on workforce and program planning.
