A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO FUND ENROLLMENT GROWTH FOR THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
Whereas, North Carolina community colleges have become the economic emergency room for North Carolina's workforce; and
Whereas, thousands of laid‑off workers looking for new job skills are flooding through the doors of local colleges, seeking short‑term training, training in critical careers such as health care and technical education, or training for fast‑growing industries such as life sciences, aerospace, and green technology; and
Whereas, a record number of younger, full‑time students are enrolled in community colleges, attracted by the economical, quality education available as family finances tighten; and
Whereas, community college enrollment has grown by over 31,000 students since the fall 2009 semester, or roughly the size of the undergraduate and graduate student body at North Carolina State University, our State's largest public university; and
Whereas, community colleges have grown as much in the last two years as they did in the previous seven years; and
Whereas, securing full funding for our colleges' historic enrollment growth is critical to providing educational opportunities for North Carolinians turning to our colleges for help in improving their lives; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of eighty‑five million forty‑one thousand six hundred thirty‑ two dollars ($85,041,632) for the 2010‑2011 fiscal year to fully fund enrollment growth at North Carolina's 58 community colleges for the 2010‑2011 academic year.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2010.