By Thomas Lynn<\/p>\n
In the wake of last month\u2019s audit report, Daytona State College is cleaning house and tightening belts in all departments. And it seems to be working.<\/p>\n
With collected revenue of $61 million this year and a total expenditure of $54 million, Denis Micare, Vice President for Finance, says that things are looking optimistic. Significant adjustments to spending have been made since last month and faculty across the college have become increasingly aware of all expenses because of the decrease in enrollment.<\/p>\n
The board expressed surprise when Micare announced an increase in revenue, but he explained that was due to these adjustments and the beginning of term B. Even with the higher numbers, the College is required, by mandate, to have 5 percent in contingencies or backup funds. On top of that, $5.4 million has been added, according to Board Chairman Denis Lewis, to remain fiscally responsible and in case of any emergencies.<\/p>\n
The Board has reasons to be cautious about money. A proposal was brought to it in February to begin work and improvement on DSC\u2019s Master Plan, an update that is done every five years. Steve Eckman, Director of the Facility Planning Department, presented extensive changes and renovations that would take place to all six campuses over a period of 20 years.<\/p>\n
For a visual of how large of an undertaking this project truly is, the Master Plan projects \u2014 when all is said and done \u2014 an estimated cost of $600 million. The goal seems rather impractical since in recent years the Facility Planning Department has only received, at most, $15 million from state and College funding.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to depend on funding and it\u2019s going to depend on enrollment,\u201d said Eckman.
\nThere\u2019s no question that the school could use a major refurbishing, with buildings on the Daytona campus stretching 30 years old and a lack of parking, according to the Master Plan led by HuntunBrady an Orlando architectural firm. The architects seem determined for \u201cout with the old and in with the new.\u201d And so does DSC President Carol Eaton.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of having a golden shovel, which is what a lot of presidents want to have when they build things,\u201d said Eaton, referring to the new constructions set to take place, \u201cI want a golden sledgehammer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Working on the momentum of out with the old, Eaton pronounced that there is a new verbal contract with Mike Curb, a Nashville music-entrepreneur. Curb gave property to the college in return for naming rights for a DSC building. Since delays go back as far as 2008, he is now agreeing to accept the property back and donate instead $100,000 a year, for five years, in exchange for the retention of the Mike Curb College of Arts, Music and Science.<\/p>\n
The board looked relieved to be released from this debilitating ordeal, but it opened up a can of worms on the Board of Trustees naming rights policy \u2014 or lack of one. The college was drawn into the arrangement by past president Kent Sharples, who met up with Curb and made the agreement without Board approval. In complete contrast, the expected written agreement between Eaton and Curb will be presented Dec. 8 at the next Board meeting. \u201cIt will be in writing, next time,\u201d Eaton promised the Board.<\/p>\n
At the end of the meeting, staff and faculty stood to give their gratitude to the Board for an increase in salary. Two years overdue, the 3.5 percent increase will take $2 million from the unrestricted budget.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important,\u201d said Chairman Lewis, \u201cthat we increase our salary so that we can retain our professors, so that we can continue to attract people\u2026 after all, we have great professors.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Thomas Lynn In the wake of last month\u2019s audit report, Daytona State College is cleaning house and tightening belts in all departments. And it seems to be working. With collected revenue of $61 million this year and a total expenditure of $54 million, Denis Micare, Vice President for Finance, Continue reading All-around good news greets holidays<\/span>