CCAC Announces Hiring, Spending Freeze

Community College of Allegheny County is tightening its budget for the remainder of the fiscal year, but the college's officials say that the effects shouldn't be seen in the classroom.

In anticipation of , CCAC will immediately place a hiring freeze on administrative positions and eliminate all non-essential expenditures, according to an official statement released by the community college on Thursday last week.

The freeze will not extend to instructional expenses or impact the hiring of faculty. It will include administrative, non-union positions funded by the college's regular budget, the statement said.

"Any expenses related to students are essential, and they will not be affected," said David Hoovler, CCAC's assistant to the president and interim director of public relations.

While Hoovler said that CCAC probably won't see immediate effects from the cuts, he also said that there are some open positions, such as those in student-support services, which could impact programs.

"Everybody will feel this to some degree," he said. "It will affect all campuses."

CCAC has a full campus near the Baldwin-Whitehall area, as its South campus sits in West Mifflin Borough. CCAC also has a nearby Bethel Park Center.

The freeze will go into effect immediately and last at least until CCAC completes its budget process for the current fiscal year, Hoovler said.

"It's our hope that this is just a temporary measure," he said.

The fiscal year ends June 30.

College president Alex Johnson discussed the cuts with CCAC's board of trustees at its monthly meeting on the college's Allegheny campus Thursday.

"As we take a comprehensive look at the college's own 2011-12 budget," he said, "we will strive to maintain academic excellence as well as an affordable education.

"While we are taking steps to reduce expenses, we already have a very lean budget."

CCAC said that it would face a $3.6-million reduction in funding if the governor's proposed cuts go through, as the proposed state budget includes a 10-percent reduction in support to community colleges.

Johnson said that while he hopes that the cuts are withdrawn, the college must prepare in case they do become a reality.

"These measures are prudent to ensure that CCAC ends the current fiscal year on solid financial footing," he said.

Johnson announced the freeze to CCAC employees on Wednesday last week.

CCAC is the largest institution of higher education in Pennsylvania with 30,000 credit students; 35,000 noncredit and workforce-development students; four campuses and six centers.