By Jay Rey
Erie Community College would see less state operating money next school year but would get $15 million for a new academic building planned for the North Campus in Amherst, ECC officials said Wednesday.
The $15 million was earmarked by the State University of New York and included in Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s proposed budget unveiled Tuesday, said ECC President Jack F. Quinn Jr.
“The fact that we’re included in this budget is an enormous step,” Quinn said. “We have a very important piece of the puzzle in place right now with the SUNY money, and we want to make the most of it.”
The bad news for ECC, and other community colleges across the state, is the governor’s budget didn’t include more operating money, which the two-year colleges had requested.
The proposed budget keeps the state reimbursement rate at $2,122 per full-time equivalent student, said William D. Reuter, ECC’s chief administrative and financial officer.
Because enrollment has fallen this year at ECC, as it has elsewhere across the state, the college could see a reduction in state aid of about $1.6 million next year, Reuter said.
“That’s significant,” he said.
ECC, however, is still moving forward with plans to build the $30 million academic building at the North Campus on Main Street, despite some pressure last year to build it downtown near the City Campus.
Quinn had hoped to break ground sometime in 2013.
But the $15 million is only half of what the college needs for the campus’ first new academic building in decades.
Former Erie County Executive Chris Collins had committed $7.5 million from the county, while ECC would raise the remaining $7.5 million. When state officials questioned whether ECC could come up with its portion, Collins agreed to borrow however much the ECC Foundation fell short in fundraising. The college then would be responsible for paying off that debt.
Quinn needs to know where new County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz stands on the issue, and he is scheduled to meet with him next week about this and other issues at the college.
“We are excited the governor mentioned this project,” said Peter Anderson, a Poloncarz spokesman. “I’m sure Mr. Quinn and the county executive will be talking about this further when they meet next week.”
The North Campus, on 20 acres at Main Street and Youngs Road, consists of eight buildings constructed in phases between 1953 and the late 1960s. In the last major renovation, in 2002, the county paid to overhaul space for the dental hygiene program because it was in jeopardy of losing its accreditation.
The newest building, a child care center, was built in 1998.
http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/amherst/article714275.ece