SCC to cut expenses by 2.5 percent

Suffolk Community College president Shaun McKay has ordered departments to cut expenses 2.5 percent for the coming school year to help deal with ebbing enrollment and little prospect of extra help from state and county governments.

McKay disclosed his directive -- which could, he said, save as much as $3 million -- as the college prepares to submit its annual budget for the 2012-13 school year to its trustees next month.

"We are looking at expenses and we're going to form strategic decisions on how to find savings," said McKay, noting that neither the county nor state are likely to increase aid in the coming year.

The college's current $192 million budget had anticipated a 2 percent growth in what had been several years of record college enrollment, however Suffolk's number of students dropped 2 percent in the fall semester and about another 1 percent in the spring semester.

James Amoroso, college finance vice president, said the college has kept this year's budget in balance by deferring equipment purchases and being careful about filling job vacancies. He added that the directive to departments did not include mandated expenses such as pension, health insurance and salary contracts. The faculty union, which had no pay raise this year, has already agreed to a zero increase for the coming school year, not counting step increases for experience.

While reviewing expenses, McKay also said the college will update enrollment forecasts for the next five years.

School officials say that the number of high schoolers graduating from Suffolk public schools is on the decline. They said the two-year school had been experiencing significant growth in recent years because the community college offered the most inexpensive college option during the recession. The annual college tuition is now $3,990 and college officials say it's too early to say what tuition will be in the coming year until the proposed budget is finalized.