College prepares for budget showdown

January 23, 2011

In the week since the Texas House of Representatives announced its proposed state budget for the coming biennium, officials have been busy analyzing the numbers to determine exactly what they would mean to Howard College.

The short answer? Little in the area of good news.

HC escaped the list of Texas community colleges targeted for closure by the proposed House budget, but other than that, the news is bleak. The House is proposing cuts that would lop off close to $3 million a year from the combined budgets of Howard and SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf and would severely cripple the schools' existing employee benefit program.

College President Dr. Cheryl Sparks will update college trustees on the situation when they hold their monthly meeting at 12:30 p.m. Monday in the Student Union Building's Tumbleweed Room.

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