After weeks of working to cut $875,000 out of Northwest College's budget for 2009-10, college officials have found ways to make that cut without laying off any employees. “Due to hard work and creative thinking on the part of numerous individuals, I am happy to report that we have worked out a plan to handle a 5-percent cut from the state ($525,000) — plus a projected decrease in local tax revenue and investments ($350,000) — without a reduction in force,” NWC President Paul Prestwich wrote in a campus-wide memo Monday evening. “As recently as a few days ago, I did not think that would be possible.”

“This is a tribute to everyone on campus,” he added. “It has been a real team effort.”

On Wednesday, Prestwich said proposed cuts include not filling two or three open positions and internal belt tightening. (See related sidebar for more details.)

“The cuts we've identified we think will be things students and the community won't notice,” he said. “Sure, there are going to be some areas that won't have the same amount of funding, but for the most part, our campus will look and feel the same as it always has.”

But not all the news is good.

“The state's financial situation continues to worsen,” he wrote in the campus memo. “Gov. (Dave) Freudental announced that Wyoming is experiencing a $300 million to $325 million shortfall for fiscal year 2010, an amount significantly more than the $190 million that would be saved through even a 10-percent cut to state agencies. Thus, many now believe that a 10-percent cut is possible, and the actual cut could be worse.

“If we experience a cut larger than 5 percent, it is almost a certainty that I would ask the (NWC) Board of Trustees to invoke a reduction in force. If that becomes necessary, we will follow all applicable college policies.”

Prestwich noted that the college won't have a final figure from the state on how much will be cut until late June or July.

Regardless of the size of the cut, Prestwich said the President's Advisory Council plans to recommend a salary increase of 2.6 percent for the next school year.

He said the college has received money from the state to pay for that increase, and Freudenthal has stated that if the external cost adjustment is given to higher education, it must be used for raises, not to offset possible budget cuts.

“We have already made decisions to reduce staffing levels in various areas. With the same amount of work being distributed across fewer faculty and staff, it is important to recognize the efforts by our employees through providing a pay increase,” he said.

“A salary freeze is non-strategic and across-the-board ... As we have considered our budget situation, we have made strategic decisions in an attempt to fulfill our mission and our strategic plan.”

Prestwich added, “We have decided to increase the pay for adjunct instruction from $625 per credit to $650 per credit. We will have fewer full-time faculty next year, and because we will need to rely more on adjunct instruction, we need to provide compensation that will attract talented adjunct faculty.”

While waiting for more information from the state, Prestwich said he's choosing to remain positive.

“I offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone for helping to build a budget that saves the needed money without a reduction in force,” he said. “It is absolutely fantastic. I am thrilled.”