Altamaha Technical College Faces Furloughs
As the state budget crisis deepens, Altamaha Technical College full-time faculty and staff will be required to take three furlough days by the end of the calendar year, President Lorette M. Hoover announced Monday.
The three days of unpaid leave will be instituted throughout the Technical College System of Georgia as a means to meet Gov. Sonny Perdue’s order to all state agencies to prepare contingency plans for budget cuts of 4, 6 and 8 percent.
The state already is withholding 5 percent of the agencies’ funding. Sluggish tax revenue collections could cause the state’s $18.6 billion budget to fall significantly short. Some projections show a shortfall of more than $1 billion.
“These are tough times for Georgia,” says Hoover “and Altamaha Technical College’s employees will do its part in helping the state bridge the gap in funding.” At Altamaha Technical College, the furloughs will save about $74,000, Hoover said. “I asked the faculty and staff to provide suggestions on implementing the furlough plan,” said Hoover, “I am impressed with the overwhelming show of support to our students, as employees recognized the need to implement a plan that will limit the impact to student’s classes or services while at the same time being willing to serve the state of Georgia in the efforts to meet the budget crisis.”
Altamaha Technical College’s furlough plan has yet to be announced. “We are looking at closing the college one day in late December after fall quarter is completed, as a part of the three day furlough plan,” says Hoover. The faculty and staff will soon learn more as the furlough plan goes through the approval process with the Technical College System of Georgia.
Hoover added that perhaps the book store lines and registration lines were a little longer than usual this year, “we believe that has more to do with the overwhelming increase in our study body spring and now summer terms rather than the impact of budget reductions.” Altamaha Technical College experienced a 19.6% increase in students Spring term as students come to gain additional career skills in an effort to prepare for reentry into the workforce. Summer term, with the onset of new campuses in McIntosh, Glynn, and Camden Counties, and serving new high schools with dual enrollment opportunities, Altamaha Technical College is expecting approximately 1,200 students compared to approximately 750 students summer term 2008. “We are blessed as a state agency to have the ability to generate revenue from tuition and fees. The legislature increased the standard tuition for technical colleges to $40 per credit hour, still the lowest tuition rate in the southeast”
The College has been dealing with budget cuts for the past three years. “Yes, we have had to close programs, shift the scheduling of classes, become more efficient in our course offerings, provide courses online, yield in watering the landscape, close on Fridays to save on energy, limit travel, become frugal in the use of supplies, limit hiring practices to only critical positions, and sadly we have lost some very good employees due to the budget cuts.” Altamaha Technical College has received a 5% budget cut. Now the furlough will impact our budget by another 1% bringing the total to 6%. “Only because I have the best faculty and staff who have a great heart for students are we able to continue to provide excellent service to students and employers,” Hoover said, “and admittedly, now that our own paychecks are being impacted by the furloughs we have a better sense of empathy for our students who have been dealing with layoffs and job losses for the past couple years.”
For more information about the programs and services provided by Altamaha Technical College please call 800-645-8284 or visit the website at www.altamahatech.edu.
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