By Howard Packowitz
NORMAL – Heartland Community College is facing a smaller-than-expected budget deficit, due in part to the school’s hiring challenges.
Heartland’s board Tuesday night approved a tentative operating budget of about $31.5 million, with a smaller-than-forecast deficit of about $575,000.
Deficits were planned as part of a multi-year financial strategy implemented three years ago.
The district would use reserves to fill budget gaps.
Difficulty attracting information technology workers and faculty might also help erase the $446,000 deficit for the fiscal year ending this month, according to Doug Minter, Heartland’s vice president of business services.
“We have case after case in certain areas where we have extended job offers to individuals, and have been turned down. It makes it very difficult to fill positions when you can not be competitive on salaries,” Minter said.
“In the applied areas of nursing, physical therapy, radiography, you can make much more in clinical practice,” said Richard Pearce, vice president for learning and student success.
“We offer some work-life balance, and we are sometimes able to leverage that, but we can not compete with salaries,” Pearce also said.
Meantime, the board approved 2.5 percent raises for four Heartland vice presidents for the coming fiscal year. Pearce will be paid $152,748, and Minter will make $144,951.
Kelli Tillery Hill, vice president of continuing education and advancement, will earn $139,043, and the salary for Sarah Diel-Hunt, vice president of enrollment and student services, will increase to $136,325.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
