Dear Colleague,
Thank you to those who were able to attend today’s zoom hall meeting about where we are in the 2020-21 budget process. Here is a recap of the information we covered (we’ll also share the video recording as soon as it’s available).
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Washington state is experiencing significant economic losses that will likely result in a $7-10 billion budget shortfall. In these challenging times, this means that we as a College, like all community and technical colleges in our system, must prepare for reduced state funding in 2020-21. For Shoreline, our most reliable scenario regarding reductions in the state allocation may be up to $7.3 million.
As such, we will need to look for additional ways to reduce our expenses, become more efficient in our operations, and enhance revenue where possible. This is a heavy lift that will take all of our good thinking to accomplish.
To manage this difficult budget situation, there are several steps in the remainder of this academic year to help us prepare for an adjusted budget. This may feel like a very fast timeline, but it sets us up to receive input from all employees before we conclude the quarter. (You can also see a detailed timeline on the home page of the Budget Sharepoint site, where all related budget documentation will be stored).
May-June 2020
- Employees will have opportunities over the next several weeks to share budget proposals and ideas for ET to consider (see survey information below)
- Executive Team (ET), deans, and executive directors will also begin to work on budget proposals
- Employee and ET proposals will be synthesized and presented at the June Board of Trustees meeting
- The College will request the Board of Trustees to approve a continuing budget resolution at their June meeting
June-September 2020
- ET may need to make budget reductions in June and throughout the summer based on the economic forecast or legislative action taken based on pandemic-related directives we may receive from the state
- Any necessary changes will also be guided by the Governor’s or legislature’s directives for reducing or freezing costs
October 2020
- Employees will be updated in early October about any changes to the proposals
- The Board of Trustees will vote to adopt the 2020-21 budget at their October 28 meeting
Complete the Budget Proposal Survey by May 31
- Please consider providing input for reducing expenses, creating efficiencies in our operations, and/or enhancing revenue. The survey is open now through May 31.
This work presents a new challenge for us to overcome together, and I’m very grateful for your perseverance and continued flexibility during an unsettled time. We could not have imagined working and learning remotely as we started this academic year and I thank you for your inspiration, courage, and kindness as we traverse together this new landscape created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you have any questions about the budget or this process, please submit them to the online budget question box.
Respectfully,
Cheryl Roberts, Ed.D.
President
Day at a Glance 
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