MOSES LAKE - Big Bend Community College President Bill Bonaudi delivered his final State of the College address Tuesday, invoking the college's past while looking toward its future.

Bonaudi's final state of the college address took place during Big Bend's 50th anniversary. He began by asking Big Bend alumni in the audience to consider the college's impact on their life.

"What would you have done if Big Bend had never been here?" he asked.

If not for the hard work of Big Bend's staff and members of the community, Big Bend's nonexistence may have come close to reality, he said.

For example, the college was poised to lose a nursing position - which would have resulted in reducing the size of the nursing program by eight students per year. Samaritan Healthcare and Wenatchee Valley Medical Center, which owns the Moses Lake Clinic, donated money to the college to save the position.

While community support has blossomed, legislative support has often been erratic, said Bonaudi.

"What happens when our children's parents need training to get a job, or to keep a job, or to advance in their job, yet the suppliers of workforce training have been forced to close their doors and limit their capacity for training?" he asked. "That is what is happening now as our legislators starve the solution, our system of higher education, like an overweight pet, and randomly begin to weaken our structure."

Yet, the recent special legislative session brought better-than-expected results, he said.

"Terms to describe the recently completed special session include victory, less and compromise," he said. "We are fortunate that you overwhelmed our legislators with your letters and calls in support of Big Bend and all of higher education."

While the college will lose more than $120,000 in next year's budget, it is better than up to $1.2 million the college at one time anticipated losing, he said.

Higher education's low-priority status has resulted in the closure of community colleges' open-door admission policy, said Bonaudi.

"Entrance to our colleges and universities is becoming limited as it was in the 1800s, where only the privileged could attend," he said.

Despite Big Bend's challenges, the college is holding its own, he said. Recent comparisons with the college's national peer group show Big Bend students exceeding scores measuring student retention and completion, he said.

Faculty have taken extra students into full classes while maintaining high standards, and administrative and classified staff have worked long hours as they've picked up additional responsibilities resulting from the college eliminating positions as people retire or resign, said Bonaudi. And although the college has lost 26 positions, 20 new positions have been created through Title V grants, he said.

As the cost of a college education climbs, the Big Bend Community College Foundation has become even more important for students, said Bonaudi. Proceeds from foundation activities such as Cellarbration!, Dollar Dash, the President's Ball and Winter Serenade are used to award more than $180,000 in scholarships each year, he said.

In addition to the scholarship support, the foundation aims to raise $500,000 over five years, said Bonaudi. The funds would help support the college's computer science and nursing programs, an equipment reserve fund, computer equipment, and two matching endowments included with grants.

As Bonaudi reflected on the college's past presidents, he acknowledged his own retirement this June, exuding optimism as he talked about passing on his torch.

"Now after 17 years, it is time to pass on this honor to the next president of Big Bend Community College," he said. "Your trustees, the staff and our communities are actively involved in the screening of applicants for this interesting, valuable, exciting, critical and fulfilling job."