The Kenai Peninsula College will be making employee reductions across their two campuses and two extension sites as the entire University of Alaska system faces significantly reduced funding from the state.
The Senate has proposed a $25.8 million university funding cut while the House proposed $50.8 million. KPC Director Gary Turner says those proposals are spurring the impacts to administrative staff positions.
Turner: “If we get the $25.8 million cut to the University, what that will do to KPC is we will have a projected budget gap of $879,501. If the larger cut [of $50.8 million] becomes the reality, we’re looking at a $1,681,401 in a budget gap.”
He says while staff in administration face cuts, no teaching faculty will be eliminated at this time. However, there are empty teaching positions that have been chosen to not be filled because of decreased enrollment in some disciplines and courses.
Turner gave 24 administrative staff members contract reduction notices last week as the college prepares for cuts. He says he is confident the University system will see at least the smaller of the two proposed funding cuts.
Turner: “I wanted to ensure that our employees got notified as soon as possible, this affects their life, affects their work, affects their families. So these reductions ranged from full lay-offs, to reductions in hours in a pay period, to fewer pay periods that they work, and also voluntary leave without pay.”
He says if the legislature passes the larger funding cut in the state budget, KPC expects to give contract reduction notices to an additional 25 staff.
KPC has been preparing for significant budget cuts from the state in ways like selling donated property, increasing class sizes, and using more video conferencing between campuses.
The college has dealt with a total of $897,000 in reductions in Fiscal Year 2015 and 2016.