Eduardo J. Padrón
President
Office of the President
300 N.E. Second Avenue
Miami, Florida 33132-2297
305-237-3316
epadron@mdc.edu
Message From the President
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
State Funding and Budget Challenges
Dear Colleagues,
As you may have read over the last few weeks, the State of Florida is facing a serious shortfall in revenues for the 2007-08 fiscal year. There have been alerts from the Governor’s Office and the Legislature asking all state agencies to prepare for budget cuts from four to ten percent. The State Department of Education has directed community colleges and all educational institutions to do likewise. As a result, Miami Dade College has been asked to identify areas where operating budgets can be reduced to address the state’s financial challenges.
MDC is financially sound and we are a fiscally prudent organization. Our operating costs, however, continue to rise. We are presently reviewing all College operations to determine ways in which we can make reductions while minimizing the impact on the quality of our programs and our students. Upcoming meetings in Tallahassee, including a possible Special Session on the Budget, will dictate our course.
Even before this latest budget tribulation, MDC was not receiving enough funding from the state. The much-needed five percent tuition increase for this year, approved by the Legislature, was vetoed. Despite these obstacles, we have focused on providing quality education for our students and a quality work environment for faculty and staff. Our aim moving forward is to continue to do so.
I would like to thank you for your hard work and dedication to the College during this challenging time. My commitment to our students and to you is resolute. I will keep you apprised of developments as I receive them.
Thank you.
Eduardo