LOCH SHELDRAKE — The Sullivan County Legislature passed a resolution to adopt the 2024-2025 Sullivan County Community College (SUNY Sullivan) budget of $16,414,709 on Thursday, August 15. 

The budget calls for the County Share of $4,250,000 for the purpose of the operating budget and $50,000 for county employee tuition. 

SUNY Sullivan’s new President Dr. David Potash presented the budget to the board in a special meeting on Thursday and fielded questions from the legislators. 

The President said that he fully supports the budget, which was prepared before he started a month and a half ago, in terms of its accountability and prudence. 

Potash said that the college is asking the county for $4.3 million, which remains the same and that their regular operating revenue - the money that they get through tuition, expected enrollment and more, is less than last year. However, he said that because of the aggressive pursuit of grants and support from institutions like SUNY, they are budgeting an increase. 

“We have this money in hand for grants of almost $600,000, primarily for health care but other effects as well,” Potash said. “While the overall budget of the college remains consistent, what we’ve been able to do is pursue multi-year grants that have increased SUNY support and other support, while reducing the internal operations that come from the regular support that [the Legislature] gives and we raise from tuition. That shift is reflected in some of the college’s shifts in courses and programming.”

Last year’s budget was $16,280,729, with this year’s budget coming with very small differences, according to Potash. 

“One of the things that has happened has been both a shift in programs and a shift in expenses,” said Potash. “Over 80 percent of all college expenses are personnel, and that means taking into account benefit costs, mandated raises and all the rest that comes with managing your people. 

“The college through the past year, both with the Officer in Charge [Casey Crabill] and then what we’ve done,” he continued, “has been working pretty consistently to tighten its belt without sacrificing anything that involved all students.”

The President said that they see an increasing need for workforce development and health care.

“We are trying to grow those programs and invest in them with personnel and faculty,” Potash stated. “We are optimistic that we followed the same format as last year, in terms of revenue and expense.”

Reaccreditation efforts

Dr. Potash reported that in the college’s reaccreditation efforts, they have worked on writing up a report emphasizing growth in two areas - learning outcomes assessment and budget and planning regarding aligning college resources with activities - in preparations for the Middle States visit on September 23 and 24. 

“When I started, I got involved with the team to make sure that two things were in really good shape,” Potash said. “I feel really good about the report and not just because I’m keen on SUNY Sullivan but also my critical eyes. I’ve done this in different ways and feel good about it.”

“They will then review what they do and have a larger board meeting in the beginning of November, either to say great you’re cool,” he said, “you’ve got these other issues to work on or we think there’s a big problem. That becomes something that they post publicly.”