Growth & budget concerns highlight the annual State of the College address
Clark College President Robert Knight was cautiously optimistic as he gave the school’s annual State of the College address at Gaiser Hall in front of a large crowd last week.
According to Knight, the college experienced increased enrollment and a 33 percent rise in the distribution of financial aid during 2010. In addition, the school was recognized by Community College Week as the 19th fastest growing college in the country last year – the only Washington college on the list. Knight said the school expects enrollment to continue to increase for the foreseeable future.
Within the next ten years, Knight said the college aims to have a facility in North Central Clark County and a new STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) building on the west side for Ft. Vancouver Way at the NW corner of the downtown campus. Knight said these projects will help support the growing student population.
Not lost in the address, was the reality that budget cuts are coming to the college this year.
“Up to this year, we’ve been able to maintain services by tightening our belts and increasing workload,” Knight said. “Our students have done their part. Their tuition has gone up. But we must now implement an additional $2 million dollars in permanent budget cuts. This year, we are going to have to make cuts that no one wants to make.”
