Enrollment increase means no layoffs at Kirkwood

Posted on Aug 11, 2009 by Diane Heldt.

An aerial view of the Kirkwood Community College campus in Cedar Rapids. (The Gazette)Kirkwood Community College enrollment could climb about 10 percent this fall, with a possible record number of students, President Mick Starcevich said.

Kirkwood Community College enrollment could climb about 10 percent this fall, with a possible record number of students, President Mick Starcevich said.

Booming enrollment growth will help the college avoid layoffs this fiscal year, despite tight economic times and planned budget cuts, Starcevich told The Gazette editorial board Tuesday.

“I’m almost 100 percent sure we won’t lay off anybody this year, because of the enrollment increase,” he said.

That pledge can’t be made for fiscal 2011, which starts next July 1, because one-time federal stimulus funds being used this year will be gone, and Kirkwood officials will be faced with plugging a $4.5 million budget hole due to state cuts, he said.

Kirkwood officials have a goal to cut $1.25 million by the end of the fall semester, Starcevich said. Officials will consider offering an early retirement incentive to eliminate some jobs, he said. They also will look at program cuts, though that will be hard given enrollment growth, he said.

“Every one of our programs is getting near capacity and we have a lot that are full,” he said.

About two weeks before the fall semester begins, day-to-day enrollment numbers are running about 2,000 students more than last year, Starcevich said. It’s unlikely all of those students will show up, but officials expect to see 1,000 to 1,500 more this fall, which easily would set the record. Last fall Kirkwood enrolled 15,241 students. Record enrollment was set in 2004, at 15,466.

Voters on Sept. 8 will decide on a renewal of Kirkwood’s building levy of 20.25 cents per $1,000 taxable valuation. The levy will not increase. It has been in place for decades and is up for renewal every 10 years. The levy amounts to about $9 in taxes annually for a home assessed at $100,000.

Kirkwood uses the money for campus projects, including building upgrades, energy efficiency and maintenance. Two projects of high importance are renovating Linn and Johnson halls, two of the earliest buildings on campus.