The Northern Oklahoma College Board of Regents approved the fiscal year 2019-2020 operating budget for the college during its regularly scheduled June meeting.
The regents and NOC President Dr. Cheryl Evans were pleased to see some additional funding for higher education for the first time in five years and are grateful to state leaders for these additional resources.
Increases in the Oklahoma State Regents budget were provided with legislative intent to cover three areas: 100% of the cost for concurrent enrollment for seniors (tuition only), compared to 86.9% reimbursed last year; a 3.5% increase in salary for full-time higher education faculty; and Section 13 offset (for institutions that do not receive school land capital funds).
NOC also received a slight adjustment for performance-based funding from the State Regents because Northern met state goals for degree production and other funding formula criteria.
Although the state budget for higher education reflects a slight increase from the prior year, the college still faces several challenges in budgeting resources, according to Evans.
“First, higher education’s budget has been cut so dramatically in the past few years that NOC, like many institutions, has already made significant cuts,” she said. “Second, while funding was provided for increases in faculty salaries, funding was not provided fringe required accompany , nor was funding provided for higher education staff salary and benefits increases. Third, mandatory costs, such as healthcare, continue to rise regardless of revenue. Finally, enrollment is trending downward statewide, and Northern’s enrollment is no exception.”
NOC’s budget includes state appropriations of $8.1 million, a 4.49% or $349,794 increase from the original FY2019. State appropriations now account for 33% of NOC’s overall operating budget; this number reflects an increase from last year’s 28.6% but is still significantly down from the 70% provided in 2002.
Tuition and fees paid by students and their families will comprise 67% of the College’s operating budget in the coming year. NOC’s $24.7 million budget for 2019-2020 represents a $2.6 million decrease from last year’s original 2018-2019 budget as midyear cuts were not reinstated and anticipated enrollment decrease for the fall.
“To maintain full-time positions and essential student support services, it is necessary to increase revenue,” Evans said. “In order to meet the budget needs for the coming year, the regents approved a 4.6 percent increase in tuition and mandatory fees at the June board meeting.”
Evans said the proposed increase was presented to the State Regents on June 26 and was approved.
Evans ...
