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Piedmont Community College asks Person County to sustain funding as enrollment climbs
Summary
Piedmont Community College presented its FY26 operating and capital requests, citing enrollment growth across nursing, technical programs and workforce development and requesting support for facility upgrades and a new South Campus trade center.
Piedmont Community College representatives told the Person County Board of Commissioners on May 5 that enrollment and program demand have increased and requested continued county support for operating and capital needs.
PCC President (Dr. Kenneth [surname]) and Dr. Reggie Browning reported double‑digit increases in curriculum and workforce full‑time‑equivalent enrollment for the year reviewed: curriculum FTE rose 16% and workforce CE FTE rose 15%, outpacing the state community‑college averages. The college flagged growth in practical nursing (+20%), associate nursing (+8%), and technical/manufacturing workforce programs (+27%).
PCC’s FY26 request includes operating increases to align facility services and support staff with state salary increases (a 3% adjustment was cited) and to cover higher insurance, utilities and service‑contract costs. Capital priorities for the county campus included IT systems, door‑locking/security upgrades and HVAC/water‑pipe work (a combined capital ask of about $735,500 was provided in the presentation for Person County campus needs).
PCC also described ongoing fundraising and preliminary design work for a Center for Health, Advanced Technology and Trades (South Campus), noting phased relocation of some continuing‑education programs and anticipated third‑quarter 2025 upfit work. The college requested the county’s continued partnership for both operating and capital investments.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions about plant operations and how the college phased costs after taking partial occupancy of a facility in September of the prior year; PCC representatives said phasing allowed some employee sharing across campuses to reduce first‑year operational costs.
