DACC cutting $1.7 million from FY17 budget

Dona Ana Community College is cutting $1.7 million from its budget for the fiscal year of 2017.

The cuts come in the midst of the state of New Mexico’s $600 million budget deficit.

Here’s a list of what will be cut:

All individual travel will be reduced from $1375 to $1000 per person. This is inclusive of faculty and staff allocation.

Cuts to operations and supplies will total approximately $400,000. Adjustments will be made to these budgetary lines in the effected divisions and departments immediately. DACC President Renay Scott says some of that money will come from cutting utilities. The school is also working towards going paperless. Scott added some courses will be pushed to online only starting January, but she doesn’t anticipate students seeing much of a change.

“The students won’t feel any of the cuts,” Scott said. “If the future is more budget cuts, it’s very possible those cuts will be seen and affect students.”

Ten total positions will also be permanently cut from the budget. Of those ten positions, five (5) are vacant faculty lines and five (5) are staff lines. Four of the staff lines are vacant and one staff line is filled.

Adjustments were made to course sections based on enrollment changes in programs and/or course efficiencies identified by programs.

While the cuts will predominately affect employees, some students ABC-7 spoke with are concerned for the future.

“I do feel like these are red flags that things are starting to get scary,” DACC student Gabriel Duran said.

The decision was made by the school’s budget committee composed of faculty and staff on December 13 . They are effective immediately.