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Triton gets $2 Mil check from state
‘Unexpected surprise… sign of good things to come’
By Sean Jenkins
March 4, 2010
RIVERGROVE | As part of its pledge to support community colleges, the state cut
Triton Community College a $2 million check.
In a letter to Triton last year, the Illinois Community College Board said installment
payments would not arrive until the “next fiscal year”. The news dampened an
already cloudy forecast at Triton weathered a $4 million budget shortfall in 2010.
It was an unexpected surprised they deposited the third quarter payments (last
week),” Triton Board Chairman Mark Stephens said. “Hopefully, it’s a sign of good
things to come.”
Bruce Bennett, ICCB, director of finance, said based on trends it’s likely the next
$2 million will come through this year perhaps delayed. “We’ve conservatively
managed of our money, so we can handle a delay,” Stephens said. “We have
money in reserve to carry us through no matter what happens. But we’re sure we
will get it.” Over the past 10 years, Stephens said, the college has cut about $12
million in expenses.
Sean Sullivan, Triton’s vice president of business administration, said the Triton
board is fiscally responsible. “Triton has saved pennies to where we have about
$14 million in reserves,” Sullivan said. “If the board hadn’t been doing that, I don’t
think we would be able to survive this.”
To conserve money, the district has restricted travel and meeting expenses, put a
freeze on hiring and staffing, and frozen operating and remodeling expenses.
Sullivan said currently the state is providing less than 18 percent, down
significantly, with taxpayers and students making up the difference.
“The board is trying not to put more of the burden on taxpayers by managing
expenditures,” Sullivan said. “But we’re not going to close any time soon.
Community colleges are created by legislative act, it would take an act of the
legislature to close them.”
‘Unexpected surprise… sign of good things to come’
By Sean Jenkins
March 4, 2010
RIVERGROVE | As part of its pledge to support community colleges, the state cut
Triton Community College a $2 million check.
In a letter to Triton last year, the Illinois Community College Board said installment
payments would not arrive until the “next fiscal year”. The news dampened an
already cloudy forecast at Triton weathered a $4 million budget shortfall in 2010.
It was an unexpected surprised they deposited the third quarter payments (last
week),” Triton Board Chairman Mark Stephens said. “Hopefully, it’s a sign of good
things to come.”
Bruce Bennett, ICCB, director of finance, said based on trends it’s likely the next
$2 million will come through this year perhaps delayed. “We’ve conservatively
managed of our money, so we can handle a delay,” Stephens said. “We have
money in reserve to carry us through no matter what happens. But we’re sure we
will get it.” Over the past 10 years, Stephens said, the college has cut about $12
million in expenses.
Sean Sullivan, Triton’s vice president of business administration, said the Triton
board is fiscally responsible. “Triton has saved pennies to where we have about
$14 million in reserves,” Sullivan said. “If the board hadn’t been doing that, I don’t
think we would be able to survive this.”
To conserve money, the district has restricted travel and meeting expenses, put a
freeze on hiring and staffing, and frozen operating and remodeling expenses.
Sullivan said currently the state is providing less than 18 percent, down
significantly, with taxpayers and students making up the difference.
“The board is trying not to put more of the burden on taxpayers by managing
expenditures,” Sullivan said. “But we’re not going to close any time soon.
Community colleges are created by legislative act, it would take an act of the
legislature to close them.”