A large crowd consisting of administration, faculty, and students was drawn into a CTC conference room for an open discussion about the negative lingering effects of the current state budget impasse.

School president Jerry Corcoran lead an intense discussion regarding the massive drop in college state support from $3.1 million to $611,000 in just one year.

The current budget impasse, now in it’s 22 month, includes 33,000 in state students leaving for out of state college.  This has further squeezed financially strapped schools into a 41 percent cut in education spending from fiscal 2000 to 2015. There was also a 54 percent cut in per student spending from 2008 to 2015. IVCC faculty member Mike Phillips had the following to say regarding the situation.

“Our students and our state deserve better. This has impacted  our ability to do our jobs and our students’ ability to learn.”

Of the three student speakers during the discussion, all emphasized how important the Monetary Award Program , or MAP, is to their ability to keep themselves in school and help pay for their education.

Many students appeared ready to get involved, so newly elected board of trustee member Jay McCracken offered to set up a meeting with students willing to help with State Senator Sue Rezin of Morris. Sociology instructor was also pushing everybody, including students, to get involved and reach out to the legislators.

“Push against a system that does not want to change.”

Corcoran also added that students cannot sit idly.

“Waiting until 2018 and the next election is not an option.”

Professor Olesen encourages students to take action regarding the state budget impasse