Okanagan College passes $100M Budget

Okanagan College has passed its first ever $100 million budget.

This budget was passed by the Board of Governors on Tuesday and will create additional capacity for international and domestic students. It will also give more financial aid support for students at all of the campuses.

“There is an important message in this budget,” explained Okanagan College President Jim Hamilton.

“Through collaboration between departments, through dedication, through looking at opportunities Okanagan College has found ways to continue to grow access and support our goal of diversifying the institution.”

Included in the budget is funds for 3.7 FTE staff members in the financial aid department, which means there will now be a physical presence on all four campuses for when people need help applying for bursaries and grants.

“We started the budget process several months ago with a gap of about $2 million we needed to wrestle with, and we have found a way to address that and continue to build Okanagan College,” noted Vice President Finance and Administration Roy Daykin.

“Our enrolments and tuition revenue were larger than budgeted in 2015-16, and we were able to incorporate those on an ongoing basis as well as find ways to build capacity for international and domestic students. Our international department has exceeded its target for 2015-16 and saw ways to continue that momentum working with the program areas in the coming year.”

A new digital content and social media specialist will be added, as well as five additional instructor positions.

“I’m pleased that we have been able to make the 2016-17 budget one that sees some limited growth, some investment where we think it will bear return, and that sees no reductions in programs and services,” finished Daykin.