HUDSON—The Columbia County Board of Supervisors approved the 2022-23 Columbia-Greene Community College (C-GCC) operating budget, at its monthly full board meeting August 10.
The total budget is $19.1 million, which is $1.9 million (11%) more than last year’s budget of $17.2 million. Columbia County’s contribution is to be $3.5 million, an increase of $206,000 (6%) from last year.
Tuition is $2,556 per semester for full-time students, $213 per credit hour for part-time students.
Contributing to the 2022-23 revenue is the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), for “institutions of higher education to serve students and ensure learning continues during the COVID-19” crisis, according to a website of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education. The American Rescue Plan of March 11, 2021 authorizes it.
Major expenditure changes from 2021-22 to 2022-23 are an increase to $103,000 from $17,000 for vehicles and an increase to $1.7 million from $510 thousand for contractual professional services. Questions to C-CGG and officials for explanations were not answered by press time.
The total contribution from both counties is to stay $6,448,350, the same as it was last year. Therefore, Greene County’s contribution will decrease by $206,000, while Columbia County will increase by that amount. Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Murell (R-Stockport) verified that the formula for dividing the total contribution between the two counties includes the enrollment from each county as a factor. A request for enrollment numbers from each county was not answered by press time.
At a hearing on the C-GCC budget before the meeting, C-GCC President Carlee Drummer highlighted the program in construction technology. Its students are working with Assembly member Didi Barrett (D-106th) to restore windows at Olana. A faculty member is working with students to build tiny houses, and they are approaching Habitat for Humanity for collaboration. And the program will give micro-credentials in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical wiring.
President Drunner said, the nursing program has a waiting list of 45 students, because medical institutions do not have more positions for nursing students to do clinical practice.
