NWTC Board of Trustees OKs 2008-09
budget proposal for May public hearing

The trustees of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College have cleared the college’s proposed budget for public hearing.

In the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2008-2009:

• Property owners would pay an extra 33 cents, or a total of $146.69, on a $100,000 home.
• The total levy would increase 4.74 percent, largely to provide more class sections in manufacturing and other educational areas of greatest student need. The funds will also assist NWTC in establishing the new Manufacturing Engineering Technology program, the 2+2 Manufacturing Engineering bachelor's degree with UW-Green Bay and UW-Stout, Digital Media Technology degree, Renewable Energy and Sustainable Practices certificates, and courses in Organic Agriculture.

NWTC has seen steady increases in enrollments in recent years. Last year, NWTC served 6,175 full-time equivalent students (FTEs) and over 42,000 learners. This year is expected to reach 6,500 FTEs. The new budget allows for another 2.5% increase to 6,663 FTEs. In the past 11 years, NWTC has seen 62 percent growth in FTEs.

Despite this increase in the supply of trained workers, employer demand is growing even faster. As of March 28, employer job orders for NWTC graduates are 35 percent higher this year than last year. Part-time job orders are 50 percent higher than last year.

NWTC President Dr. Jeff Rafn noted that maintaining the supply of skilled employees is critical to the area's economic stability and growth, that the new budget strikes a responsible balance.

"Due to the significant demand for technically-skilled workers, NWTC will continue to meet the needs of our communities while maintaining cost containment measures."

NWTC remains one of the most efficient technical colleges in Wisconsin, with the second-lowest operational cost per FTE in the system.

The next step for the budget is a public hearing set for May 14, 2008, at 4:00 p.m. in the District Office on the NWTC-Green Bay Campus, 2740 W. Mason Street.

For more information, please contact Dr. H. Jeffrey Rafn, NWTC President,
(920) 498-5411, or (800) 422-NWTC, ext. 5411.

For News Information or Updates, Contact:
Casey Fryda, PR/Communications Specialist at 920-498-6288 or
Ann Malvitz, PR/Communications Specialist at 920-498-5593