Maricopa Community Colleges Board Unclear On How COVID-19 Will Impact Enrollment, Next Year's Budget
The Maricopa County Community College District’s board is grappling with what the coronavirus pandemic will mean for its budget for next year.
At its Tuesday meeting, the board struggled with that question without knowing its final enrollment numbers for the summer and fall semesters.
One new expense it is considering is a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for employees. For more than a decade, the district’s salaries haven’t kept up with inflation and the pay of peer institutions, said board President Marie Sullivan.
As of Friday, the district's headcount was down by about 23.6% for the fall semester and 27.9% for the summer semester, said the board's Chancellor Steven Gonzalez.
But because of the uncertainty, Sullivan recommended removing the COLA from the draft budget.
“Please know that I do that with a heavy heart because I believe this is an issue that we must address and soon and make it a priority," she said.
Other board members suggested putting the COLA discussion on hold until they have a better grasp on the district’s financial outlook or finding other solutions to better compensate employees.
"If there's one thing that everybody can agree on is that our most valuable resource at the district is our employees," said board member Tom Nerini. "I think we've deferred maintenance on our most valuable asset for an awful long time."
The board will continue discussing its budget later this month.
