MOSES LAKE - Big Bend Community College's Board of Trustees unanimously declared a financial emergency for the 2011-2013 biennium Oct. 19.

The resolution is the first step of a process that would allow the college to consider layoffs during the current biennium. It directs Big Bend President Bill Bonaudi to monitor future budget cuts to the college that would require layoffs to maintain the core functions of the college. 

Since 2009, Big Bend has lost $3.7 million in state funding and lost 27 positions, including eight full-time instructors. Class offerings have been reduced and fall enrollment fell 9.6 percent. College officials must cut another $800,000 from the 2012 budget, representing cuts of 40 percent from 2009 operating levels.

So far, the college has avoided laying off staff by not filling positions vacated by people who retired or left, but if cuts to the school's budget continue, layoffs may be necessary, said Bonaudi.

When the state legislature meets in special session Nov. 28 to address the state's budget shortfall, "there's every expectation that the result of that special session will be a further reduction in state support, specifically of Big Bend Community College, but of all the community and technical colleges of the state," said Bonaudi.

The cuts would result in fewer classes and programs and fewer employees.

"It will continue to reduce courses being offered for the rest of this year and it could lead to the elimination of programs," Bonaudi said in an interview. "I think that the long-range impact of this is that it will be very difficult to re-establish any program that we lose now."

In the resolution, the trustees said their intent is to "provide the policy tools needed by the college to address budget reductions while minimizing impact to students."

Cuts to this year's budget are harder to deal with, because the college started spending that money in July, said Bonaudi.

Rep. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, who serves on the House Higher Education Committee, attended the meeting. In recent weeks, Rep. Warnick attended informational meetings on higher education throughout the state.    "Big Bend is providing training for real jobs," she said. "But I am hearing cuts to education in the special session will be brutal."

A new source of revenue, other than raising tuition rates, is needed to provide stability to the state's community colleges, said Bonaudi. 

Big Bend employees commented on the declaration of financial emergency at the meeting.

"A lot of employees are nervous, and there is a lot of tension," said Holly Moos, Big Bend vice president of Human Resources and Labor. "People are working extra jobs, and can't take their vacation. We have fewer people, but the work doesn't go away."

"I think the administration has done a good job of minimizing the impact, but if we see those kinds of cuts, BBCC won't look the same," said Faculty Association President Mike O'Konek.

Community colleges are part of the solution to the state's economic problems, said O'Konek, "but sometimes it feels like we are being treated like we are part of the problem."

"Our employees have taken on additional jobs," said Big Bend Classified Staff Representative Kathy Aldrich. "There will be a point when you are so overloaded you can't do the good job the students deserve and have paid for."

"This is probably the most important action we've taken in the past couple of years," said Bonaudi.

He expects more community colleges to pass similar resolutions. He's shared Big Bend's resolution with the leadership of other community colleges and with the state board of community and technical colleges.

"If all the colleges were to declare a financial emergency before the start of the special Legislative session, I think that would be an especially powerful message," he said.