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Tompkins‑Cortland Community College projects enrollment surge; Tompkins County sets July 15 public hearing on budget
Summary
TC3 officials told the Tompkins County Legislature that fall enrollment is currently tracking up about 28%, while CFO Dennis Panaguitas outlined revenues, tuition at about $5,664 and expense pressures including a 3.75% increase in negotiated wages and a 14% rise in health benefits. The legislature set a public hearing for the college budget on July 15.
Tompkins‑Cortland Community College presented its proposed 2025–26 operating budget to the Tompkins County Legislature on June 17. President Amy Kreminick reported what she called "extraordinary growth in enrollment," saying current figures show enrollment up about 28% for the fall term, while Dennis Panaguitas, the college chief financial officer, outlined the revenue mix and expense drivers.
Panaguitas said New York State Education Law describes community‑college funding as roughly one-third state, one-third students and one-third sponsor counties, and presented the college's current revenue shares (state aid roughly 28%, sponsor counties and other county income about 17%, student tuition roughly 39%). He noted contractual obligations drove a 3.75% increase in collective bargaining costs and a roughly 14% increase in health benefits; the college's projected unrestricted fund balance at year end was about $4.4 million (roughly 15% of operating budget). Panaguitas also said tuition was increased by 1.7% to approximately $5,664.
Legislators asked whether TC3 has the capacity for sudden enrollment growth; Kreminick and Panaguitas said the college plans to rely on adjunct faculty, schedule flexibility and expanded online offerings and that the college was proceeding cautiously with a conservative enrollment projection. Legislator Mike Lane moved to set a public hearing on the TC3 budget; the body set the hearing for July 15 at 5:30 p.m. (correction from an earlier July 17 reference) and approved that motion unanimously.
