The GRCC Board of Trustees met on May 5 for a budget work session, where the effects of changes in grants and policies, both locally and federally, on Grand Rapids Community College students was a primary focus.
The first item on the agenda was the presentation of the 2025-2026 budget proposal, something Interim President Lisa Freiburger said may change as higher level decisions get passed to the school.
“We continue to watch what is going on at the federal level and recognize that, while we are presenting this budget to you now, we are also seeing many perhaps unanticipated changes and proposals coming through at the federal level that ultimately could have a fairly significant… impact on how we support and serve students here,” said Freiburger.
Freiburger explained that the school has received information indicating that several grants that are “integral to how we support students,” such as financial aid grants, may be unavailable for the upcoming school year.
“We are certainly aware and working on potential contingency plans related to those,” said Freiburger.
GRCC enrollment is up, both in the previous winter semester and the upcoming summer semester. Director of Budget and Business Services Nathaniel Lloyd warned that a “national enrollment cliff” may come in the fall, though this was projected to have little change on enrollment at GRCC.
The 2025-2026 budget included a proposal for a student health clinic and changes to the existing Bridges to College — Raider Ready program, designed to help high school graduates transition into college. In the past, the program was operated with state funding, which Provost Sheila Jones said was no longer available. Moving forward, the program will be funded through internal spending.
“The program’s future is intended to build on the success of previous years… We intend to offer this in a pilot program with the goal of one cohort here in Grand Rapids and another at the Lakeshore campus,” said Jones.
One time budget additions included a RFID system for the library (which tags books electronically) and spending on the HVAC program.
As the board circled back to state and federal grant projections, Vice Chairperson Kathleen Bruinsma raised concerns about what it would mean for the 70% of GRCC students that are part-time if eligibility for the Pell financial aid grant changed from 12 credit hours to 15— the threshold to be considered a full-time student.
Trustee Kenyatta Brame followed up, asking Freiburger if she thought students would respond to the change by taking more credits or by not taking any.
Freiburger said she didn’t know.
“If that happens, it will be devastating for our students,” she said. “I think our best strategy right now is to do everything we can to advocate for that not to happen.”
Board Chairperson Brandy Lovelady Mitchell added that she appreciated the questions being asked.
“It’s clear that we don’t have all the answers yet,” she said. “We will be committed to advocating for what people need, so this is not an opportunity taken away.”
General Counsel Brett Meyer then presented the Police Officers Labor Council contract, proposing a collective bargaining agreement with the union that included clauses on break times and pay schedules.
In the final moments of the meeting, the board officially appointed Dr. Steven J. Triezenberg as GRCC’s new Interim President, replacing Freiburger when she retires on May 12. GRCC will spend the summer searching for its new permanent president.
The board will reconvene on Monday, May 19.
