Daytona State College 
Career Employee Association

Our Purpose...
To improve working conditions for all Career Employees. To improve communications and working relations among Career Employees, Professionals, Faculty and the Administration of Daytona State College. To encourage professional growth by offering new ideas, suggestions, and sharing common concerns.

Feb 19, 2009 Board Meeting Report 

As your unelected President I attended the DSC Board meeting Thursday, 19 February. The main topic was the economy (nation, state, and local). In fact for almost 90 minutes different folks spoke to varying degrees of doom and gloom about our financial plight. The low lights are condensed to the following:

* Initial state funding for DSC (fiscal year 2008/09) was $52,492,000.00

* Subsequent reductions have reduced the level of state support to about $46,700,000

* FY 2009/10 state funding is to be reduced at least 10%, but probably 15% of the $46,700,000.

The state legislature is raising tuition 6%, maybe as much as 8% for the next fiscal year to help...

In the beginning the state legislature's goal was for a Florida resident to pay 25% of their tuition, and the state to fund 75% (with lottery money and other revenue sources). One does not have to be a brain surgeon to recognize that goal has been cast aside. DSC is approaching a 50/50 ratio...not quite there yet, but without the continued increase in tuition paying students, we would be in a much more tenuous financial situation. I'm wondering when our students will have to stop registering for so many classes as the cost continues to rise for them!

Because our Administration has been aggressively addressing cost-efficiency all along, we are currently enjoying a rock solid financial situation. Plans are underway now to address the expected 15% shortfall in funding we anticipate next year. Dr. Sharples told me the two items he wants to preserve during these challenging times are first, quality education for our students and second, our prime assets: our personnel. I'm not sure how he is going to handle all that, but that's the reason they pay him the big bucks.

Can you say "State Income Tax"? The current level of state-funded support for Florida education has slipped from 49th to 'below Louisiana"...at least I was advised that last evening.

So stay productive. Encourage our students to continue to complete their degrees, and probably most important, make a positive first impression on every new face walking on to the campus. I didn't intend for this to be a paid political announcement, it just happened. When you see Diane Higelin, welcome her as our new Secretary...like me she was a volunteer. Maybe we can elect her later this spring.

Stand fast, People.

Thomas Moore