On Monday, the Grand Rapids Community College’s Board of Trustees met to review the proposed 2017-18 budget.
The first order of business was to discuss the millage levy resolution. This is something that the GRCC administration does each year that authorizes the college to levy its millage rate on the taxable value of the district.
This allows the GRCC administration to notify the various townships and cities that they can remit taxes to the administration.
“The one thing that is different this year, which we haven’t had in several years is that we have a Headlee Millage Reduction,” said Jim Peterson, Executive Director of Financial Services.
The Headlee Millage Reduction requires that when taxable value in total, on existing properties increases by more than the state determined rate of inflation, it will reduce the college’s Millage rate from 1.765 to 1.788.
With the reduction, the estimated revenue loss will be $290,000, which will be shared equally between the college’s general fund and the plant fund.
The Headlee Millage Reduction is a permanent rollback.
College funding was also discussed. There has been a $275,000 decrease due to the completion of the strengthening to the college’s Program Grant. However, the percent of funding has remained similar to the previous year.
Some significant changes from the 2016-17 fiscal year is the expectation of slightly lower revenues from customized training and training solutions. The school is also expecting a slightly increased revenue because of the study abroad trips that have been planned throughout the 2017-18 school year.
They have been five approved study abroad trips that are available to students looking to expand their horizons. There will be two trips occurring this summer.
“The payment for these trips is still in the works, but it also plans on where they(students) go,” Peterson said. “It will range in between $3,000 to $4,000 with transportation and guides. So that is our rough estimate.”
The Auxiliary fund for the college’s bookstore, food services, printing and parking are also expected to see a slight decrease because of the low enrollment. The fund is expected to have an almost $1 million deficit.
“We suspect that because students are finding alternate ways to find class materials that are cheaper, the bookstore revenue will decrease,” Peterson said.
The school receives a commission based on book and accessory sales from Follet, the company that rents the bookstore space.
GRCC president, Bill Pink, hopes that because students are saving money on supplies that they will take on more classes.
GRCC administration is also cracking down on parking. Recently, Ford Fieldhouse Club members have had to pay for parking. Additionally, the faculty of the school are trying to minimize the amount of parking passes that they give out to visitors.
Other expenses that are expected to come is the revamping of the Blackboard website, a campus-wide replacement of current printers to multi functioning printers, parking ramp repairs and raider card updates.
