By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
All Barton Community College regular staff will receive a 7% pay increase with consideration of a 10% bump next January. The college’s Board of Trustees considered a 3%, 5%, 7% and 10% increase at Tuesday’s meeting and agreed on the immediate 7% jump and will reevaluate the situation at their January 2022 study session if an additional 3% needs to be included.
The pay increases put the college in a situation where their 2021-2022 budget is anticipating a $1.8 million deficit.
Mark Dean, Barton’s Vice President of
Administration, told the board there are currently many open teaching and staff
positions. Without the pay increases, Dean felt it would be difficult for the
college to recruit employees.
"If we go out and make an offer to an applicant and they go 'not for what you're paying,' we have to go to option two or option three if there are other applicants," said Dean. "We have at least four positions open in my office area with zero applications. Part of that is because they can make quite a bit more money at other places locally."
While there are a lot of unknowns and COVID-19 still having an impact, Barton
is expecting lower enrollment numbers, meaning less revenue on tuition and
fees.
Dean noted Barton has a carryover balance, or savings, of $19.4 million
that the college can pull from if the deficit comes to fruition.
"That money is sitting there to use for unknowns and a buffer in case we have problems," said Dean. "It can be spent down and it makes everyone a lot more comfortable. I sleep a lot better knowing that it is there."
Overall, the college anticipates increasing its revenue, mostly through state
aid, but also plan on increasing expenditures.