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<p>Questions submitted during the Follow-Up Budget Town Hall:</p>
<p><strong>1. When are we announcing the change to summer to our students especially those who are <br />already enrolled?</strong></p>
<p><em> The information that summer 2020 will be delivered remotely was approved to be distributed to students on Friday, April 17th. </em></p>
<p><strong>2. </strong><strong>Could you address whether or not there will be faculty layoffs? And if so, how that would <br />look? For example, what would that look like for tenure-track faculty?</strong></p>
<p><em> The process of laying off tenure-track faculty is dictated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. <br />Keep in mind that faculty deliver the core service central to MCC's mission. </em></p>
<p><em> Enrollment is key in any future consideration of lay-offs, faculty or staff. How students' college <br />attendance will be affected by COVID-19 is at this point still anybody's guess. We are working <br />diligently to impact recruitment (expanded marketing campaign) and retention (student calling project). MCC remains an incredible value and we plan on keeping that information front and center for college attendance decision makers; parents, guardians, guidance counselors, students, etc.</em></p>
<p>3. <strong></strong><strong>MCC received $9.1 million from the Cares Act stimulus bill. Of that, half is supposed to be <br />directed to students, do we have a plan for how the other $4.58 million will be spent?</strong></p>
<p><em> According to CARES Act calculations based on PELL grant figures, MCC is scheduled to receive $8.8 million from the CARES Act. The distribution of the $4.6 million targeted for direct student awards is currently under development by a Student Services team. We have been told by SUNY that we can expect the sweeping new powers of the NYS Budget Director will result in a dollar-for-dollar reduction of our state allocation of the remaining $4.6 million targeted for institutional use. In short, we are not planning on CARES Act funds positively impacting our budget.</em></p>
<p><strong>4. We tend to under-spend our budget, which is what has allowed us to add to the fund balance for the last 5+ years. How does our current spending compare to what was budgeted for this year? Will we be adding to the fund balance at the end of this fiscal year?</strong></p>
<p><em> Thank you for being such an astute observer of our annual budget. We need employees paying attention and as informed as you are about MCC's budget. When you research the FY20 budget approved by the Trustees you will note it is balanced with a $4 million use of fund balance. Trustees' charge to Administration was to work hard NOT to have to use that full approved amount, which was the rationale for the Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP) program. With VSIP, however, we anticipate ~$3.6 million use of fund balance for FY20. As a result of COVID-19, we are reevaluating <br />our expenses and revenues that will undoubtedly have an impact on fund balance use. </em></p>
<p><strong>5. What specific actions are being taken right now to address budget shortfall concerns? At what point does the conversation turn to layoffs?</strong></p>
<p><em> As the COVID-19 public health emergency has evolved so have expense (and safety) protocols. These have included travel restrictions, not approving discretionary spending, organizational contracts and memberships not renewed.</em></p>
<p><em> At this time, attrition is our primary strategy to reduce personnel costs implemented with a strict vacancy review prioritizing internal searches for any approved hires first. Administration has been charged by the Trustees to develop parameters of a hiring freeze that will be reviewed at the special May 28th meeting, called after the Executive Session at their April meeting. </em></p>
<p><em> The conversation turns to lay-offs only after we have calculated savings from vacancies, explored furloughs, and seen what the fall 2020 enrollment looks like.</em></p>
<p><strong>6. What would a phased reopening look like?</strong></p>
<p><em> We are currently developing plan that we refer to as "The Future of Learning." Members of the Executive Policy Group (EPG)--the decision making structure from MCC's existing emergency plan-- have been charged to develop a three-phase approach from each of five (5) work groups; The Learning Experience (Provost Wade &amp; VP Oldham), The Student Experience (VP Holmes), The Employee Experience (Executive Dean Frater), Facilities/Operations (Chief Perez) and Fiscal (VP Simmons). </em></p>
<p><strong>7. When will students be notified about summer instruction? Many students (as a result of the calls) are waiting to make a decision about registering for summer until they know for sure how it will be delivered.</strong></p>
<p><em> The decision to deliver all Summer 2020 coursework remotely was authorized to be delivered to students on Friday April 17th.</em></p>
<p><strong>8. Why can't we see the questions listed here (during the videoconferenc)?</strong></p>
<p><em> Good question, we'll work with IT and see if we can alter that in future Town Hall sessions.</em></p>
<p><strong>9. From where we stand today, and looking at the projections, how can we realistically avoid layoffs/furloughs?</strong></p>
<p><em> Please see response to #5 above.</em></p>
<p><strong>10. Are we considering modifications in tuition for out-of-state and international students?</strong></p>
<p><em> Not at this time.</em></p>
<p><strong>11. I would add that by increasing tech fees, we increase inequities as it relates to the students that we serve at MCC. We want to be sure that we are not hurting any populations that we would traditionally serve</strong>.</p>
<p><em> Thank you for your perspective. The size and scale of the digital divide has been starkly witnessed through this crisis. </em></p>
<p><strong>12. Will employees be working from home this summer? If that decision has not been made, when will it be?</strong></p>
<p><em> Employees who can do their work remotely will begin the summer continuing to do so. As our three-phase plan for safe re-entry is developed we will keep all employees informed of any changes. We will continue to keep the safety of our students and employees our priority and pay close attention to the Monroe County data and NYS dictates.</em></p>
<p><strong>13. If enrollment continues to decline, would the Downtown Campus close and combine with Brighton Campus.</strong></p>
<p><em> While the future is uncertain, closure of the Downtown Campus is not being considered.</em></p>
<p><strong>14. In follow up to what Dr. Douglas said, would the college consider alternate work options for staff? For example, full-time, 10-month positions or full-time 11-month positions? It could be a way to keep people working, serving students, but also saving money.</strong></p>
<p><em> We categorize this as a form of furlough, which after attrition is our next level option for personnel cost reduction.</em></p>
<p><strong>15. Are we going to have a policy regarding tuition refunds for students for spring 2020?</strong></p>
<p><em> Due to the incredible effort of faculty, staff, and students the teaching and learning operation of the College continues in Spring 2020. As a result, we are being guided by SUNY's direction and not <br />considering tuition refunds. The MCC Association is reviewing pro-rated housing refunds based on the <br />dates of students departure from the residence halls and fully anticipates distributing those funds to students before the end of the semester.</em></p>

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MCC Daily Tribune

Responses to Questions from Budget Town Hall

Thank you to everyone who participated in the follow-up Budget Town Hall. We are thankful for the opportunity to inform the College community about the College's budget and we sincerely appreciate those of you who took the time to summit questions for the panel. Regrettably, we were unable to field all of the questions during the Q&A, but we've compiled those questions along with our responses for your information below.

Questions submitted during the Follow-Up Budget Town Hall:

1. When are we announcing the change to summer to our students especially those who are
already enrolled?

The information that summer 2020 will be delivered remotely was approved to be distributed to students on Friday, April 17th.

2. Could you address whether or not there will be faculty layoffs? And if so, how that would
look? For example, what would that look like for tenure-track faculty?

The process of laying off tenure-track faculty is dictated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Keep in mind that faculty deliver the core service central to MCC's mission.

Enrollment is key in any future consideration of lay-offs, faculty or staff. How students' college
attendance will be affected by COVID-19 is at this point still anybody's guess. We are working
diligently to impact recruitment (expanded marketing campaign) and retention (student calling project). MCC remains an incredible value and we plan on keeping that information front and center for college attendance decision makers; parents, guardians, guidance counselors, students, etc.

3. MCC received $9.1 million from the Cares Act stimulus bill. Of that, half is supposed to be
directed to students, do we have a plan for how the other $4.58 million will be spent?

According to CARES Act calculations based on PELL grant figures, MCC is scheduled to receive $8.8 million from the CARES Act. The distribution of the $4.6 million targeted for direct student awards is currently under development by a Student Services team. We have been told by SUNY that we can expect the sweeping new powers of the NYS Budget Director will result in a dollar-for-dollar reduction of our state allocation of the remaining $4.6 million targeted for institutional use. In short, we are not planning on CARES Act funds positively impacting our budget.

4. We tend to under-spend our budget, which is what has allowed us to add to the fund balance for the last 5+ years. How does our current spending compare to what was budgeted for this year? Will we be adding to the fund balance at the end of this fiscal year?

Thank you for being such an astute observer of our annual budget. We need employees paying attention and as informed as you are about MCC's budget. When you research the FY20 budget approved by the Trustees you will note it is balanced with a $4 million use of fund balance. Trustees' charge to Administration was to work hard NOT to have to use that full approved amount, which was the rationale for the Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP) program. With VSIP, however, we anticipate ~$3.6 million use of fund balance for FY20. As a result of COVID-19, we are reevaluating
our expenses and revenues that will undoubtedly have an impact on fund balance use.

5. What specific actions are being taken right now to address budget shortfall concerns? At what point does the conversation turn to layoffs?

As the COVID-19 public health emergency has evolved so have expense (and safety) protocols. These have included travel restrictions, not approving discretionary spending, organizational contracts and memberships not renewed.

At this time, attrition is our primary strategy to reduce personnel costs implemented with a strict vacancy review prioritizing internal searches for any approved hires first. Administration has been charged by the Trustees to develop parameters of a hiring freeze that will be reviewed at the special May 28th meeting, called after the Executive Session at their April meeting.

The conversation turns to lay-offs only after we have calculated savings from vacancies, explored furloughs, and seen what the fall 2020 enrollment looks like.

6. What would a phased reopening look like?

We are currently developing plan that we refer to as "The Future of Learning." Members of the Executive Policy Group (EPG)--the decision making structure from MCC's existing emergency plan-- have been charged to develop a three-phase approach from each of five (5) work groups; The Learning Experience (Provost Wade & VP Oldham), The Student Experience (VP Holmes), The Employee Experience (Executive Dean Frater), Facilities/Operations (Chief Perez) and Fiscal (VP Simmons).

7. When will students be notified about summer instruction? Many students (as a result of the calls) are waiting to make a decision about registering for summer until they know for sure how it will be delivered.

The decision to deliver all Summer 2020 coursework remotely was authorized to be delivered to students on Friday April 17th.

8. Why can't we see the questions listed here (during the videoconferenc)?

Good question, we'll work with IT and see if we can alter that in future Town Hall sessions.

9. From where we stand today, and looking at the projections, how can we realistically avoid layoffs/furloughs?

Please see response to #5 above.

10. Are we considering modifications in tuition for out-of-state and international students?

Not at this time.

11. I would add that by increasing tech fees, we increase inequities as it relates to the students that we serve at MCC. We want to be sure that we are not hurting any populations that we would traditionally serve.

Thank you for your perspective. The size and scale of the digital divide has been starkly witnessed through this crisis.

12. Will employees be working from home this summer? If that decision has not been made, when will it be?

Employees who can do their work remotely will begin the summer continuing to do so. As our three-phase plan for safe re-entry is developed we will keep all employees informed of any changes. We will continue to keep the safety of our students and employees our priority and pay close attention to the Monroe County data and NYS dictates.

13. If enrollment continues to decline, would the Downtown Campus close and combine with Brighton Campus.

While the future is uncertain, closure of the Downtown Campus is not being considered.

14. In follow up to what Dr. Douglas said, would the college consider alternate work options for staff? For example, full-time, 10-month positions or full-time 11-month positions? It could be a way to keep people working, serving students, but also saving money.

We categorize this as a form of furlough, which after attrition is our next level option for personnel cost reduction.

15. Are we going to have a policy regarding tuition refunds for students for spring 2020?

Due to the incredible effort of faculty, staff, and students the teaching and learning operation of the College continues in Spring 2020. As a result, we are being guided by SUNY's direction and not
considering tuition refunds. The MCC Association is reviewing pro-rated housing refunds based on the
dates of students departure from the residence halls and fully anticipates distributing those funds to students before the end of the semester.

Katherine Douglas
Office of the President
04/20/2020