Over $900,000 was spent on adjuncts and overload in 2010, Merfalen said, and they are now looking at ways to reduce this to $398,000.
She said there was a need for more adjunct instructors and overload of teaching credits due to an increase in enrollment.
NMC regent William S. Torres urged the college leadership to revisit the teacher-student ratio.
The expenditure on adjuncts and overload is too much for a small college, Torres told the board during its meeting yesterday.
NMC President Sharon Y. Hart noted that faculty members who left the college were not replaced.
“We are trying to absorb this cost internally by reusing our personnel,” she said, adding that current administration and support staff who have credentials to teach should offset the adjunct and overload costs.
Instead of hiring adjuncts, she said, they will allow qualified personnel to teach as part of their contractual obligation.
“Our plan for this year is to go toward a new direction,” she said.
Merfalen told the board about the projected savings through the implementation of “cost-effective and efficient measures.”
For travel, she said the college can save a lot through the use of credit cards when booking flights.
She said they can also save $20,000 in legal fees by hiring a lawyer who will regularly report to the college.
The college is also looking at $200,070 in savings upon the retirement of four personnel, she added.
Hart said they are looking at an estimated budget shortfall of $1,642,639.70.
A total shortfall of $432,783.70 is assumed if NMC’s entire budget of $5,189.052 is used toward personnel expenses amounting to $3,979,196 with no staffing changes, she said.
Merfalen said the projected savings were identified during a meeting with the NMC management team.
