RCC President, Dr. Richard Heckman,
Responds to 2003-2005 Community
College Budget

ASHEBORO, N.C.—Everyone at Randolph Community College recognizes and understands the economic plight of North Carolina and the impact the economic situation has on the state budget. Such conditions require our legislators and government leaders to make thoughtful and difficult decisions. Ideally, those decisions will enable Randolph County and North Carolina to emerge from this economic downturn quickly and with a strong foundation for sustainable growth.

We also understand the high expectations that the citizens, employers, and local government and civic leaders of Randolph County have of Randolph Community College in terms of workforce development, economic development, and educating Randolph County adults.

We thank the Legislature for fully funding RCC’s 10% enrollment growth in fiscal year 2002-03 and for passing a budget by July 1. Those two items are critical to College operations in the 2003-04 fiscal year.

However, this budget, in the short and long term, could negatively impact RCC’s capacity to maintain the open door tradition and meet the expectations of Randolph County citizens and employers.

At a time of high need and demand for programs and services, this budget mandates permanent cuts in the funding formula. This budget ends summer term funding in fiscal year 2004-05, seriously jeopardizing the College’s ability to offer the same level of programming and services during ensuing summers. And this budget further erodes funding for the HRD program, which is critical to helping displaced workers in Randolph County prepare to reenter the workforce. It will be very difficult, if not impossible, to avoid impacting the classroom in a negative manner.

In the end, the College is expected to keep the door open to serve more students, provide expanded programming, and enhance services with fewer resources. Unfortunately, this budget does nothing to strengthen Randolph Community College’s capacity to help in the effort to turn Randolph County’s economy around.