Hit by funding cuts, community colleges are looking for new ways to generate revenue, reports Community College Times. At the American Association of Community Colleges convention in New Orleans, panelists talked about what their colleges are doing.
“We have to be more innovative to increase our revenue,” said Preston Pulliam, president of Portland Community College (Oregon). PCC added more weekend and late-evening classes to maximize the use of its facilities, banned smoking on campus to cut health-care costs and hired an auditor to analyze ways to run payroll and financial aid more efficiently.
Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) in New York rents the college’s video production and computer labs when students are not using them to small media companies. The college also charges physicians $6,800 to earn a certificate in polysomnography.
Tacoma Community College (TCC) in Washington state is making a profit on two- to four-week programs for international students, who improve their English skills and earn about American culture before committing to a long-term program.
Perhaps the most controversial idea at TCC is charging higher student fees for certain high-demand programs, such as nursing, radiology technology and nanotechnology. The idea is appealing because higher fees would help sustain and even expand such programs that are more expensive because of the equipment needed for training, (TCC President Pamela) Transue said. However, she is concerned that higher fees could price out some lower-income students.
Rio Salado College in Arizona, primarily an online community college, charges higher course fees for dental hygiene classes and saves money by using facilities provided by the Arizona Dental Association.
Colleges also are reaching out to potential donors, including alumni, faculty and staff and foundations.
Initially, Portland-area foundations were reluctant to support PCC because it receives state funding. The college made the case that it needs help. One foundation provided a $1 million matching grant, and another gave a grant to help the college improve its fund-raising operation.
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[...] is the mother of invention: Hit by funding cuts, community colleges are trying to boost revenues by renting facilities to businesses, charging more for specialty courses and other [...]