BLINN PRESENTS $105 MILLION FY 2020-21 BUDGET PROPOSAL TO TRUSTEES, IMPLEMENTS HIRING FREEZE

  

Blinn College administrators presented their proposal for the 2020-21 Fiscal Year budget to the Board of Trustees at a workshop Tuesday.

The proposed budget of $105 million was developed to adapt to the impacts of COVID-19.  It represents a 12.4 percent decrease compared to the current fiscal year, and accounts for anticipated decreases in state funding, enrollment, and housing and food service revenue, among other revenue sources.

To accommodate reduced revenues, the College is implementing a district-wide, flexible hiring freeze.  The proposed budget includes reduced travel expenditures and reductions in all departmental budgets, but it also includes a potential salary increase for full-time faculty and staff.

Vice Chancellor Richard Cervantes said Blinn’s financial management in recent years has put the College in a strong fiscal position to be able to weather the challenges of the current pandemic.  Chancellor Dr. Mary Hensley said employees have gone “above and beyond” to help students navigate this semester’s “unprecedented circumstances”, and believes this budget will allow the College to recognize the work of employees while still adapting to the challenges brought forth by COVID-19.

The final budget will be brought before the board at its next regular meeting, scheduled for June 16^th.

During the board’s regular meeting, it authorized the College to:

• Seek proposals for furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the Brenham Campus Science, Technology, Engineering, and Innovation Building.
• Negotiate and execute a contract with M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates for the development of a districtwide facilities master plan.
• Negotiate and execute a contract with AHI Facility Services, Inc., for custodial services on the Brenham Campus academic, administrative, and student services buildings as well as the Bryan and RELLIS Campuses, and to negotiate and execute a contract with Southeast Service Corp. for custodial services on the Brenham Campus student housing facilities.