"We're very pleased and grateful for the support of our sponsors," said Dr. Edna Baehre, president of HACC. "This is a difficult financial year for many of our sponsoring districts and we know - even though their support of HACC represents a small percent of their overall budget - that every dollar counts."
Baehre noted that the proposed budget still leaves HACC with an operating deficit of $1.3 million and defers a number of planned maintenance items and equipment replacements. The college will draw down its reserve funds to cover the shortfall.
She also noted that even some of the school districts who voted against the budget did so reluctantly and only because they are facing tight budgets of their own. Their concerns revolved around cost containment and a desire to examine the underlying sponsorship agreement.
"Under the agreement signed by the districts 43 years ago, the cost to each school district is tied to enrollments by their residents," Baehre said. "They are supporting their residents to attend the college at a reduced rate."
As a result, however, the cost for each district can vary from year to year. It has also pushed the bill for a handful of districts up over $1 million.
"Under Act 46, predictability is a key issue," she said. "They face voter referendums if the growth in their taxes exceeds the rate of inflation."
Under the proposed HACC budget, tuition will rise $2.50 or 3.1 percent to $83 per credit hour. The contribution from the school district for their residents to attend HACC will also rise $2.50 per credit hour. Students who are not from sponsoring districts - who now represent almost half of HACC's total enrollment - will pay double the sponsored-student rate or $166 per credit hour.
The budget will now be presented to the college's board of trustees for a formal vote at the March board meeting.
"We have been working with the school districts this year to propose changes to the sponsorship arrangement and we will continue that work in the coming months," Baehre said. "We are working on a proposal which will reduce the load carried by the school districts while still maintaining tuition at a reasonable rate for all HACC students."
HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, has more than 18 thousand students at its five major locations including Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, Gettysburg and York. The college offers 158 degree, diploma and certificate programs and its credits are accepted by transfer institutions throughout the country.