Butler County Community College interim president Megan Coval gave her president's report to the board of trustees at its regular meeting Dec. 3. Zach Zimmerman/Butler Eagle

BUTLER TWP — The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges will begin advocating for funding increases in the 2025-26 state budget.

Butler County Community College interim president Megan Coval told the BC3 board of trustees Wednesday, Dec. 4, the commission will request a 6% increase for operating budgets and 6% increase in capital budgets for Pennsylvania community colleges.

The increases would total out funding for the state’s public community colleges at $350 million. Coval said the proposed increased numbers were comprised by pulling together all capital needs of all community colleges across the state.

BC3’s operating budget for the current academic year was set at $29,842,500 back in June.

Current capital projects ongoing at BC3 include the construction of the Robert L. Paserba Teaching and Learning Lab, which the board said has a goal of being completed by the spring semester.

The state commission also will request separate funding for noncredit workforce development programs and noncredit public safety programs, asking for additional allocation of $5 million from the state.

“It’s a common process around this time of year for the commission and other organizations to start to think about the state budget, to take a look at the needs of the community colleges, and what would make most sense from a funding perspective as it relates to our students in support from the state,” Coval said.

The commission for community colleges is a nonprofit association that advocates for Pennsylvania’s 15 public community colleges. Members include the college presidents, members of the colleges’ boards of trustees and other administrators.

Advocacy for the increased funding will begin at the beginning of the year. It will involve traveling to Harrisburg but also trying local advocacy, bringing lawmakers to campus when they’re home to show them around.

“As soon as the calendar turns here, we’ll really start being more aggressive about talking about our asks and really backing them up with data, and getting into full blown campaigns,” Coval said.

Gov. Josh Shapiro will deliver his budget address on Feb. 4, when the community college presidents will get insight into what the administration will put fourth for higher education and community colleges.

Coval emphasized that money for the operating budget can go into anything from an operational standpoint, such as supporting students and providing resources and education. The capital budget is reserved for any capital related needs or projects, such as parking or buildings.

During the meeting, the trustees also discussed the newly formed Pennsylvania State Board of Higher Education holding its second meeting at the end of October. The board will eventually make recommendations to the state’s General Assembly on higher education matters.

The board serves as a coordinating body between key stakeholders in state higher education and people in different sectors of higher education. This includes administrators from public, private and community colleges; lawmakers; and some business and industry folks on that committee. The lone community college president on the board is not from Western Pennsylvania; Ann Bieber, president of Lehigh Carbon Community College is on the board.

“They’re going to be talking about how we can improve higher education in Pennsylvania, how we can work together, more efficiently, better use resources. And so what their end goal is, I don’t know if they’ll end up doing this on a yearly basis, will be to end up making recommendations to the General Assembly, and so I wouldn’t be surprised if that included some general recommendations about funding,” Coval said, while noting the board has a community college president but is focused on all higher education.