Nutter at 2008 CCP Graduation, Photo by CCP Photographer Dennis Gingell

It was only just this past summer that Mayor Michael Nutter handed over an additional $4 million to the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP). In turn, college officials decided they would use the money to offset costs and not raise tuition for the first time in nearly twenty years. Now, flash forward to the current financial crisis our city is facing. Nutter is reducing the funding to the community college by $2 million, but contends the reduction is still an increase compared to Fiscal Year 2008. But now the big question is: How does CCP rework a budget that accounts for $4 million in extra funding, not $2 million?

First of all, college officials say they won’t raise tuition, at least not for this academic year. After all, freezing tuition was the original plan behind the increased city funding. Right now, a full-time student at CCP taking 24 credits pays $3,528 a year, which college officials say makes CCP the most expensive community college in the state. Because of rising costs and inflation, the amount of city and state funding to the college has decreased over the years. As a result, nearly half of the college’s operating budget now derives from student tuition and fees.

But without raising tuition this year, CCP officials must find another way to save $2 million. As a result, internal cuts will have to be made. But what that exactly means, college officials won’t say because they’re still figuring out what to cut. 

So what negative impact might these CCP cuts have on education in our city? Well, Mayor Nutter’s goal to double the number of residents with four-year Bachelor degrees over the next five to 10 years could be derailed. Consider this. In exchange for the original $4 million city allotment, it was stated in a press release dated July 8 of this year that CCP “agreed to join the City in an initiative in which the College will seek to produce an additional 1,000 associate’s degree or certificate holders by 2012, offer $50,000-plus in free training to city employees and work with city agencies to strengthen the city’s economic development efforts.”

But with these cuts, you have to wonder how this will be possible.

For key facts about the Community College of Philadealphia, click on this link.