NEWS

Budget proposal would increase student financial aid

By Suni Jo Roberts
Staff Writer

William Johnson, vice president of administration and finance, presented the proposed 2018 fiscal year budget to the board of trustees during the April meeting. Included in the $100 million-plus budget is $50.8 million in revenue from local property taxes and $31.7 million in revenue from tuition and fees. Also, state funding provides $14.4 million in revenue for WCC. The largest expenditure in the budget is $79.1 million in personnel costs.

When drafting the budget, Johnson consults departments across WCC to ask them one question.

“Do you believe that you have enough resources in your budget to succeed at the goals and strategies that you are being asked to accomplish?,” Johnson said on his correspondence with departments across WCC. “And, if the answer is ‘no’ then we have some more work to do; so that’s the process that goes on through December through this fall.”

Johnson highlighted an increase of $100,000 in scholarships budgeted for students, largely given to in-district students, to account for the decrease in pell grant money and increase in the amount of loans students have taken on in recent years.

Graduation update

At the board of trustees’ meeting on Tuesday, April 25, the projections for winter 2017 graduates were presented by Linda Blakey, vice president of student and academic services.

“Grades are due May 1, so when grades come in we will be auto awarding approximately 200 students at the end of the fall semester,” Blakey said.

The office of student and academic services says that they expect to hand out 853 certificates of completion and 1193 associates degrees.

The deadline to apply for graduation passed on April 28. Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 20 at 9:20 a.m. at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center on Hewitt Road between Huron River Drive and Washtenaw Avenue.

Graduates need to arrive by 8:15 a.m. and may invite as many guests as they wish.

There was 30 minutes of public discussion on the possibility of armed security officers on campus. Presenters revealed mixed feelings on the matter, further discussion has been scheduled. There will be another chance at a public hearing at 5 p.m. on May 23.