Schools
CCAC Announces Hiring, Spending Freeze
The freeze will not extend to instructional expenses or impact the hiring of faculty.
The Community College of Allegheny County announced it will immediately enact a hiring freeze on administrative positions and eliminate unnecessary expenditures to prepare for possible state budget cuts.
The announcement was made in anticipation of Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed 2011-2012 state budget cuts, according to an official statement that CCAC released this week.
The freeze will not extend to instructional expenses or impact the hiring of faculty. It will include administrative, non-union positions that the college’s regular budget funds, the statement said.
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“Any expenses related to students are essential, and they will not be affected,” said David Hoovler, CCAC's assistant to the president and interim director of public relations.
He said CCAC probably won’t see immediate effects from the cuts, but there are some open positions, such as those in student support services, which could impact programs.
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“Everybody will feel this to some degree; it will affect all campuses,” Hoovler said.
The freeze will last at least until CCAC completes its budget process for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, Hoovler said.
“It’s our hope that this is just a temporary measure,” he said.
College President Alex Johnson discussed the cuts with CCAC's board of trustees Thursday at its monthly meeting on the college's Allegheny campus.
“As we take a comprehensive look at the college’s own 2011–2012 budget, we will strive to maintain academic excellence as well as an affordable education,” Johnson said. “While we are taking steps to reduce expenses, we already have a very lean budget.”
CCAC said it would face a $3.6 million reduction if the governor’s proposed state budget cuts go through, which include a 10 percent reduction in support to community colleges.
Johnson said he hopes the cuts are withdrawn, but the college must prepare for the possibility of funding reductions.
“These measures are prudent to ensure that CCAC ends the current fiscal year on solid financial footing,” he said.
Johnson announced the freeze to CCAC employees Wednesday.
CCAC is the largest institution of higher education in the state with 30,000 credit students, 35,000 noncredit and workforce development students, four campuses and six centers.
