Daniel Demarte

Jamestown Community College’s $33.6 million budget was approved by the board of trustees, marking the first under President Daniel DeMarte.

Dr. DeMarte was hired last year and began in early August.

“The process of developing the budget has been ongoing since last fall, determining where to make operational cuts, prioritizing new initiatives designed to enhance enrollment and generate revenue, and modernizing the funding model,” DeMarte said.

“Thanks to a successful advocacy campaign, the revised funding model was enacted in the recently completed New York State budget cycle, and is being considered by JCC’s sponsors. The revised model will provide predictability and stability for our sponsors and the college.”

Included in the budget, approved by the board Tuesday, is New York state aid in the amount of $2,947 per full-time equivalent student. The amount of aid is a 3.5% increase fro the 2018-19 budget. However, tuition for full-time students that New York residents will increase $85 to $2,520 per semester. Tuition for out-of-state students will be $5,040 for the 2019-20 school year.

In other news, the board also moved to pursue the creation of cybersecurity and mechatronics programming.

With authorization from the board, college officials can now move forward with its current proposals for the potential programs. The proposals have been reviewed by JCC’s faculty and will now be sent to the State University of New York and the state Education Department for further review and possible approval.

If approved by the state, students could potentially learn how to address vulnerability of computer networks to cyber threats under the cybersecurity program.

The proposal includes degree and certificate pathways.

Students will be able to use the certificate program as a lead in to the degree program without needing to take additional coursework.

The degree program will also allow students looking to transfer to a four-year institution options to enroll in cybersecurity, computer science and computer information systems programs after JCC.

The mechatronics degree programs will look to combine various educational facets including engineering, machining, information technology, robotics and electronics.

With the degree program tailored for recent high school graduates, JCC hopes to prepare its students to operate electro-mechanical systems in robotically controlled environments.