Board Passes 2011-12 Budget, Re-Elects Officers

Pennsylvania College of Technology's Board of Directors on Thursday established a budget and set tuition rates for 2011-12, approved gifts to the city of Williamsport and the Williamsport Area School District, endorsed a Facilities & Site Master Plan for 2010-15, and re-elected its slate of officers for next year.

The board approved a $99.45 million operating budget and a total budget of $142.33 million for 2011-12. The operating budget represents a decrease of 0.63 percent from the current-year budget. The total budget represents an increase of 0.56 percent over the current plan.

The budget includes a 4.08-percent increase in tuition (4.82 percent for tuition and fees combined) for Pennsylvania residents enrolled in 2011-12.

A full-time, in-state student enrolled for the typical two 15-credit semesters in 2011-12 will pay $13,710 in tuition and fees, an increase of $630 over the current year. Tuition for non-Pennsylvania residents will rise by 4.18 percent in 2011-12. An out-of-state student enrolled for two 15-credit semesters will pay $17,160 in tuition and fees, an increase of $780 (4.76 percent) over 2010-11.

The state Legislature has not yet passed a budget for 2011-12. At a meeting in April, the Penn College Board authorized the college to continue operating at 2010-11 adjusted budget levels until a state budget is passed and signed into law.

Penn College President Davie Jane Gilmour said if additional funds are directed to the college in the final state budget when it is approved, the first goal will be to reduce the amount of the tuition increase. If the state is able to restore $670,000 to the college, the tuition increase could be reduced to 2.99 percent, she said.

Joseph J. Doncsecz, treasurer for the board, told Gilmour and Suzanne T. Stopper, vice president for finance/CFO, "I appreciate the hard choices that were made in this budget."

"We have not sacrificed anything for students," Gilmour noted in her presentation.

The board authorized gifts of $100,000 to the City of Williamsport and $35,000 to the Williamsport Area School District. Both voluntary contributions are re-examined on an annual basis.

"This is a very hard gift to give this year, given the (financial) circumstances," Gilmour said as the board considered the gift to the city.

In other business, the board approved a Facilities & Site Master Plan for 2010-15. The plan provides the board with proposals for renovation/expansion and serves as a blueprint for the future, though it does not approve or authorize funding for any specific project or projects.

Retiring Senior Vice President William J. Martin said most of the college's substantial needs have been addressed in the years leading up to the drafting of this new master plan. He said he does not expect the college will undertake any project requiring the issuing of bonds or incurring of debt for the next five years.

Board Chairman Robert E. Dunham noted, "I think we've been very ambitious over the last 10 or 12 years and we needed that," referring to renovation and expansion projects that benefited instruction and students.

The re-elected slate of board officers for 2011-12 is: Dunham, chair; John M. Young, vice chair; Doncsecz, treasurer; Gilmour, secretary; Stopper, assistant treasurer; and Valerie A. Baier, assistant secretary.

The board also approved the slate of directors for the Community Arts Center Board. The Arts Center is a wholly owned subsidiary of the college. The directors for 2011-12 are: Gilmour, Martin, Stopper, Veronica M. Muzic and Robert M. Fisher. Alternates are Robert G. Bowers, Barry R. Stiger and Ann Marie Phillips.

Gerri Luke, chair of College Council, reported to the board on the activities of Governance in 2010-11.

The next meeting of the board will be held Aug. 4 in the Community Arts Center.