The special board meeting planned to look into the College of New Caledonia's budget situation can't happen fast enough.
The questions are numerous, starting with how does a $2.8 million operating deficit turn into a $1.8 million surplus, a $4.6 million change of fortune?
CNC board chair Vincent Prince cited an unanticipated enrolment increase and the success of budgetary cuts as the reason for the surprise surplus but that rationale simply invites more questions.
How much of the surplus is because of the enrolment increase and how much of it is the budget cuts?
If most of it is the budget cuts, were the projected savings from the cuts wrong and, if so, why were they wrong?
If most of it is the enrolment increase, why was it unanticipated, is it a one-time fluctuation or part of a continuing trend and to what degree is the college financially vulnerable to a sudden decrease in enrolment of a similar amount?
Regardless, how can college administration do a better job of offering budget projections to the board?
Does this surplus put recent provincial announcements for additional funding for the college, including the latest made after the board meeting for an additional $151,600, into doubt?
Clearly, the board and longtime staff members are asking similar questions about the first surplus in eight years and the size of it.
Carole Whitmer, a 30-year faculty veteran and one of the founders of the school's dental hygiene program, was asking at last Friday's meeting about what now appears to be the unnecessary slashing of program and staff levels.
"I have a concern as a public member, as a faculty member, as a parent who has a student here, about the management of the college budget," she said.
Fortunately, her concern seems to be shared by board members, based on their comments during the meeting.
Two of those board members will be drilling into this issue with special interest.
In February, the Ministry of Advanced Education directly appointed Sandra Carroll, the current deputy minister, and Robert Lee Doney, a former deputy minister, to CNC's board of governors. That makes CNC the only public post-secondary institution in the province, except for the B.C. Justice Institute, to have an advanced education ministry staff member on its board.
The advanced education ministry and the college said all the right things in February about how this was all business as usual, the needs of students are being met and the college is in great shape. These appointments now suggest Victoria also has concerns with how CNC is managing its financial affairs and put two people on the board to find out what's going on.
"I believe that they will recognize and support the direction which the college is taking in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the college," Prince said in the February news release announcing the appointment of Carroll and Doney.
In today's light, that statement begs the question of what happens of Caroll and Doney don't recognize and support the direction the college is taking? What action will the Ministry of Advanced Education take if it feels the board, senior administration or both are not managing the college appropriately?
This is not to say there is anything improper or illegal going on at CNC in regards to its financial affairs. At this point, there are only concerns and questions. Answers are what is needed now, to address those concerns and improve on a budget forecasting system that either wasn't used correctly this year or is inherently faulty. Answers are what is needed to restore the confidence of the advanced education ministry, faculty, students and the public that CNC's board of governors and senior administrator are doing a good job managing the college and spending its dollars wisely.
The sooner those answers come forth, the better.
