Students make their way between classes at Dalton State College.
Staff File PhotoDalton State College will eliminate three full-time positions and cut back hours on several others because of a projected budget shortfall for fiscal year 2013, school officials said today.
The Northwest Georgia college also won't fill about 15 positions that are currently vacant including several faculty positions, according to Dalton College President John Schwenn.
"These are regrettable but necessary actions and reflect the difficult economic times in which we continue to find ourselves," he said in a news release. "We have cut all the expenses we can, and we're down to human resources; there's just nothing else left to cut."
The College is budgeting for a 5 percent decline in enrollment this fall. Last year, there was a 10 percent decrease in enrollment, 5 percent more than previously projected, according to the release.
Dalton State has historically been among the lowest-funded schools per fulltime equivalent student in the University System, last year ranking fourth lowest funded among 35 institutions, according to the release.
Dalton State's state allocation is $13.7 million, up $1.3 million from last year, but the college's total educational budget for Fiscal year 2013 is $27 million --with the balance to be provided by student tuition and fees.