Financial Health

The WVC Budget Committee, comprised of faculty, staff, and administrators, has been working hard the last few weeks negotiating a budget that has minimal impact on students and the mission of our college.  The initial budget that was proposed for the remainder of the 2025-2026 fiscal year included a roughly $3 million reduction—about half—of the budget that pays part-time instructors and funds extra teaching assignments for full-time faculty. These funds are what allow the college to offer enough sections of classes so students can meet degree and transfer requirements. Cutting this in half would have directly reduced the number of classes we can offer to students.  Moreover, because of the revenue the college would lose without the tuition these classes generate, the actual savings would only have been a fraction of the $3 million.

Estimated Travel + G&S Spent By President Harrison = $96,356
January 1, 2023 - July 30, 2025

The president's combined Travel and Goods & Services (G&S) expenses have consistently exceeded the budgeted allocation, with the exception of  the year ending June 30, 2025, where the allocation was more than tripled to match money spent.  Goods and services (G&S) can include many things, such as additional travel, consultants, office supplies,  food for faculty and staff meetings, and more.

FY 2023  (July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023)

• • Budget Allocation:  $18,100;  Spent: $18,835

  • Estimated for  Jan. 1, 2023 - June 30, 2023, Spent: $9,417
    
    

FY 2024 (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024)

• • Budget Allocation:  $18,100;  Spent: $33,554
    
    

FY 2025 (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025)

• • Originally Budgeted Allocation:  $18,100

  • Adjusted Budget Allocation:  $56,606;  Spent: $53,385
    
    

Travel, outreach, and networking are important parts of a community college president's role.  Money spent on travel and goods & services should be done in a fiscally responsible way that doesn't interfere with other priorities of the college, particularly at a time when funds are scarce.

The college is currently working without an approved 2025-26 operating budget, instead working off of a Continuance Resolution approved in June by the Board of Trustees to continue spending based on the prior year's budget.  The college is preparing a budget for the Board of Trustees to review at the November 19th meeting, with hopes of approval at the December Board of Trustees meeting.  

Because the fiscal year began July 1st, 2025, nearly 6 months of the fiscal year will have passed by the EARLIEST adoption of an operating budget.  Any budget cuts that need to be made will be made from the remaining 6 month period. 

The college lost the VP of Administrative Services and the Director of Fiscal Services in the past few months.  Their departure has left a huge hole in the business office, which was already understaffed.  The low staff numbers have put the college's ability to operate the daily finances of the college in jeopardy.  Filling open positions in the business office should be the college's #1 priority.

The SBCTC (State Board for Community and Technical Colleges) is keenly aware of these staffing challenges and have contingency plans in place to assure that critical operations like payroll and disbursement of financial aid for students continue.

The president has chosen not to fill open positions in the business office at this time, with the exception of the VP of Administrative Services.  An interim VP of Administrative Services has been hired and will start Tuesday, November 18th.

The president has claimed that the college failed to conduct financial audits for the past 5 years.  The truth is that the college has not recorded independent financial audits for the past 5 years.  However, accountability audits have been done on a regular basis in conjunction with the State Auditors Office, all of which report clean financial health for the college.  

Read the WVC Accountability Audit Report for July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2025

The urgent priority is fully staffing the business and fiscal office to maintain day to day operations of the college and allow for appropriate accountability of our state, federal, and student funds.