Haraway announces cuts to NWCC budget
May 17, 2004
By Darrin Devault
Director of Public Relations

Northwest Mississippi Community College officials learned last week that the college's state budget appropriation for 2004-05 will be $820,000 less than the current fiscal year.

"This year's decrease in state appropriations makes the fifth consecutive reduction sustained by the community and junior colleges of Mississippi," said Northwest Mississippi Community College President David M. Haraway, who shared the news with the Board of Trustees at its May 13 meeting.

"Clearly, this erosion of our funding has got to stop if we are to continue to accomplish our mission in serving a growing population of students and services."

In response to the funding decrease, no across-the-board pay raises will be given at Northwest in 2004-05, Haraway said.

However, appropriate increases will be awarded to instructors who have moved laterally on the salary schedule as a result of attaining additional education.

"Hopefully, the economy of our state will improve over the next year and, as a result, our state appropriation will also," Haraway said. "In the meantime, we have no choice but to "tighten our belt" and do the best we can to continue serving the educational needs of our district."

Northwest students shouldn't directly feel the effects of the budget cuts. Tuition for 2004-05 will remain $650 for full-time Mississippi residents and $1,000 for full-time out-of-state students.

Tuition per semester hour for part-time students is $60.