The Kentucky Community and Technical College System has eliminated more than 500 positions and suspended some college programs, all in an effort to close a $26 million gap in its budget.
KCTCS spokeswoman Mary Hemlepp tells local media that 505 positions have recently been eliminated system-wide. She says 191 of those positions were faculty and 315 were staff, but because many of the positions were vacant or were vacated through retirements, only 45 faculty and 125 staff were actually laid off.
Hemlepp says the college system’s financial problems stemmed from seven years of state appropriation cuts and an additional 4.5 percent in the next biennium. Several years of declining enrollment also led to tuition shortfalls.
KCTCS President Jay Box announced earlier this month that next year’s tuition is being increased by 6.1 percent.
Janett Blythe, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for WKCTC, said the school knew the cuts were coming, so they have had lots of discussions and review about how to minimize their effect.
A total of 21 positions have been eliminated from the payroll, but 15 of them were due to resignations or retirements.