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Record of Proceedings

Budget & Appropriations Committee Meeting - May 4, 2026: Westchester Community College Quarterly Report

Board of Legislators & Committees — Monday, May 4, 2026
BodyWestchester County, New York
SessionBoard of Legislators & Committees
DateMonday, May 4, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:07:27

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:00

The first year.

0:06

This meeting is being recorded and summarized.

0:09

You are the book.

0:14

This is how I read.

0:14

We believe the shared governance.

0:18

Community government.

0:20

And I certainly realize on it.

0:22

Um with my leadership team, you know the old adage of hiring people who are smarter than you.

0:28

Yes, absolutely.

0:29

Great leaders for having it works.

0:32

All right.

0:34

All right, good morning, everyone.

0:36

Good morning.

0:36

I am legislator Woodson Samuels.

0:39

Today it's May 4th.

0:40

It's 10 07 a.m.

0:41

And I will start us out by facilitating the role poll vote.

0:45

I am present.

0:46

Majority Leader Holstein.

0:51

Okay, lesson we are here.

0:53

Listen Pierce.

0:55

Committee Vice Chair Tobiolo, present majority group Williams.

0:58

Legislator Williams Johnson.

1:00

Chairman Gaffi is she on it.

1:03

Well, we do have a forum.

1:04

We are opened officially at 10.07 a.m.

1:07

Dr.

1:07

Miles and company.

1:08

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule and running our wonderful community college to have this discussion here as we do each year.

1:17

And uh just to get us started, if you will uh introduce yourselves for the record.

1:22

Good morning.

1:22

I'm Linda Miles, the president of SUNY Westchester Community College.

1:27

Good morning, I'm Jacqueline Ann Clark, otherwise known as Jackie.

1:30

I'm the Vice President for Administrative Services and Chief Financial Officer.

1:34

Morning.

1:35

Ben Naylor, Chief of Staff and Vice President of Strategic Applications.

1:44

Thank you all so much for being here this morning.

1:46

And uh Dr.

1:47

Miles, uh obviously we have presentation here before us.

1:50

Do we have anything to put up on the screen?

1:53

Or we just walk through it.

1:55

Oh, you do perfect.

1:58

And whenever you're ready.

1:59

Thank you so much, uh, Mr.

2:00

Chairman and members of uh this committee.

2:03

We're it's our pleasure to be here again.

2:05

It's hard for me to believe that this is my twelfth presentation for this uh board, but that's uh that's an honor and a privilege that I take very seriously.

2:13

And you'll notice that the faces on the team have changed a lot during that time and a variety of good reasons.

2:21

And um, and so I'm I'm delighted to have new members, newer members.

2:24

Um uh Ms.

2:25

Ms.

2:26

Clark is in her fourth month.

2:28

Has just begun her fifth month with us, so she has come in and hit the ground running um in January.

2:34

But uh it's our pleasure to share with you this snapshot.

2:37

We thank you for your guidance and and input regarding the information that uh you preferred to see relative to our budget status, and thank you for working with um our board on refining some of those terms and and agreements.

2:52

So we're going to move forward, and I am going to acquiesce and yield to our CFO, who has really um when I say hit the ground running, become a wonderful partner in um in managing the way we we it's tell the story of our budget and what's happening with our students in our institution.

3:08

So with that I will yield to Ms.

3:10

Clark.

3:11

Ms.

3:11

Clark, one second before you dive into.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Education And Training█████████████████████████████████████████████59%
Budget Equity Analysis███████████████20%
Public Engagement██████8%
Procedural████5%
Technology and Innovation████5%
Transportation Safety██2%
Public Infrastructure█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Budget & Appropriations Committee Meeting - May 4, 2026: Westchester Community College Quarterly Report

On Monday, May 4, 2026, the Westchester County Board of Legislators Budget & Appropriations Committee met at 10:07 AM in the Michaelian Office Building, White Plains, NY. Chair Tyrae Woodson-Samuels presided over the meeting, which focused on a presentation of the Westchester Community College (WCC) quarterly financial and operational update. The meeting adjourned at 11:13 AM.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: The minutes from the April 13, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously (6 ayes, 1 absent).
  • Receive & File: The Hon. Vedat Gashi's report "WCC Quarterly Financial Update 2026" (2026-235) was approved unanimously (6 ayes, 1 absent).

Discussion Items

Presentation of Westchester Community College Quarterly Reports

Dr. Belinda Miles, President of WCC, along with Jacqueline-Ann Clark (VP & CFO), Ben Naylor (Chief of Staff), and Lamont Watson (Director of Physical Plant), presented the second-quarter financial data for fiscal year 2526 (covering operations through February 28, 2026, with projections through August 31, 2026).

Financial Highlights:

  • Total projected revenues: $108 million; projected expenses: $107.9 million, resulting in a nominal operating surplus of approximately $4,000, essentially break-even.
  • Personnel services account for nearly 90% of the operating budget.
  • Utility costs are trending upward due to unanticipated increases.
  • Tuition remains the largest single revenue source at approximately $38 million.
  • The county-sponsored contribution of $26.2 million (27.2% of total revenue) is on budget with no mid-year increase requested.
  • Fund balance stands at $54 million.
  • Capital program: $114.5 million in active projects; $101 million appropriated; $72 million in state aid approvals; $36 million claimed, $29 million received (leaving ~$6–7 million in the reimbursement pipeline).
  • Satellite/extension centers show an operating deficit of $1.874 million before state aid transfers; state aid of $7.28 million is budgeted to support these centers.

Enrollment and Programs:

  • Seven consecutive semesters of enrollment growth; 600 new students enrolled through SUNY Reconnect (for returning adults ages 25–55).
  • Tuition revenue exceeding projections for credit-bearing courses.
  • The college is focusing on shorter-term certificates and workforce-aligned programs.
  • A renewed partnership agreement with Purchase College (SUNY) was signed to enhance curriculum alignment and transfer pathways.
  • Transportation remains a barrier for students; outreach to the county transportation commissioner is ongoing.
  • WCC is actively monitoring AI developments through a faculty-administrator task force, with policies on academic integrity and data security.

Legislator Questions and Positions:

  • Legislator Williams Johnson asked about satellite enrollment gaps and how the college manages class cancellations. Dr. Miles explained that enrollment trends have shifted toward online classes, but the college monitors pass rates and align offerings with industry trends.
  • Legislator Nambiar questioned the high fund balance ($54 million) relative to operating expenses, suggesting it could be used to reduce tuition or hold it flat. Dr. Miles noted that fund balance is used strategically for one-time investments and capital projects, and the college works with auditors on appropriate levels.
  • Legislator Nambiar also asked about the 8–9% salary increase in expenses; the college clarified that it is due to contractual obligations, not hiring growth, and that three union contracts are currently under negotiation. He requested data on graduation rates, job placement, and student outcomes by program and campus.
  • Legislator Tubiolo expressed support for the satellite centers and asked how to grow enrollment at those sites. Dr. Miles emphasized aligning programs with local industry needs and highlighted successful P-Tech programs with high schools.
  • Legislator Barr asked about state support for specific programs (e.g., SUNY Reconnect) and noted the importance of the renewed partnership with Purchase College. She raised transportation issues as a barrier to enrollment. Dr. Miles confirmed ongoing conversations with the county transportation commissioner and active student government engagement.
  • Legislator Williams asked about adjunct staffing: the adjunct line is classified under "professional and technical" (line 1300), and while adjuncts can apply for full-time positions, it is a competitive process. She also sought clarification on capital project phases (roof replacement phases 1–8 refer to different buildings).
  • Chair Woodson-Samuels emphasized the importance of the satellite centers and opposed cutting them, stating, "I don't think that's the fat we should be cutting." He also stressed the need for timely quarterly reporting and noted a prior communication breakdown due to a change in CFO.

Key Outcomes

  • The committee unanimously approved the receipt and filing of the WCC Quarterly Financial Update 2026.
  • The committee requested additional student outcome data (graduation rates, placement, program effectiveness) in future updates.
  • WCC committed to submitting future quarterly reports on time, with a clear understanding of expectations following communication improvements.
  • No new resolutions or budget amendments were introduced.

Meeting Transcript

The first year. This meeting is being recorded and summarized. You are the book. This is how I read. We believe the shared governance. Community government. And I certainly realize on it. Um with my leadership team, you know the old adage of hiring people who are smarter than you. Yes, absolutely. Great leaders for having it works. All right. All right, good morning, everyone. Good morning. I am legislator Woodson Samuels. Today it's May 4th. It's 10 07 a.m. And I will start us out by facilitating the role poll vote. I am present. Majority Leader Holstein. Okay, lesson we are here. Listen Pierce. Committee Vice Chair Tobiolo, present majority group Williams. Legislator Williams Johnson. Chairman Gaffi is she on it. Well, we do have a forum. We are opened officially at 10.07 a.m. Dr. Miles and company. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule and running our wonderful community college to have this discussion here as we do each year. And uh just to get us started, if you will uh introduce yourselves for the record. Good morning. I'm Linda Miles, the president of SUNY Westchester Community College. Good morning, I'm Jacqueline Ann Clark, otherwise known as Jackie. I'm the Vice President for Administrative Services and Chief Financial Officer. Morning. Ben Naylor, Chief of Staff and Vice President of Strategic Applications. Thank you all so much for being here this morning. And uh Dr. Miles, uh obviously we have presentation here before us. Do we have anything to put up on the screen? Or we just walk through it. Oh, you do perfect. And whenever you're ready. Thank you so much, uh, Mr. Chairman and members of uh this committee. We're it's our pleasure to be here again. It's hard for me to believe that this is my twelfth presentation for this uh board, but that's uh that's an honor and a privilege that I take very seriously. And you'll notice that the faces on the team have changed a lot during that time and a variety of good reasons. And um, and so I'm I'm delighted to have new members, newer members. Um uh Ms.

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