Course cuts at Seattle Central College raise concerns about long-term stability

In an effort to decrease its $6 million budget deficit, Seattle Central College has reduced course offerings, with significant cuts to required first-year courses. Central’s two employee unions—the American Federation of Teachers Local 1789 (AFT) and the Washington Federation of State Employees Local 304 (WFSE)—argue that these course cuts will result in lower enrollment and reduced funding. Amid the criticism, Central has also undergone a leadership change. District administrators recently appointed a new interim president, adding further uncertainty to the college’s long-term financial stability.

In December, Seattle Colleges projected an $11 million budget deficit, with $6 million attributed to Central. To decrease the deficit, the district mandated that each of its colleges reduce spending. Throughout the winter and spring quarters, Central administrators have responded to the directive by making significant cuts to course offerings. AFT representatives report that this past winter quarter, Central offered almost 20 fewer English 101 and 102 courses than the previous winter.

The union says these course cuts will lead to lower enrollment, which could affect future funding. Washington state allocates funding to Seattle Colleges based on the number of full-time students enrolled at each of its three colleges. Seattle Colleges is then tasked with dispersing the state funds to its schools. “If you have fewer students next year,” a Central employee told The Seattle Collegian, “the allocation might adjust down.” Public records show that since 2024, Central’s full-time enrollment has dropped 6%. Since then, Central’s tuition revenue has decreased by $2 million. Over the same period, Seattle Colleges has decreased Central’s allocation by $2.7 million. Faculty worry the course cuts will only prolong the school’s financial strain. “[It will] depress our ability to come back from it,” the employee said.

Other Seattle Colleges schools have implemented cuts differently. North Seattle College, AFT representatives say, “did not choose [course cuts] as a budget reduction strategy,” adding that the school’s enrollment increased as a result. Data shows that as far back as 2022, North’s part-time enrollment has increased by 10%, and its full-time enrollment by nearly 25%. Financial records show that over the same period, the district has increased North’s allocation by $3.5 million. “Look, I’m just an English faculty. I am not an accountant. I am not a mathematician,” a Central employee said, but pointed out that course cuts may be connected to district allocation.

An AFT representative said that “the administration completely mismanaged the budget and continues to do so.” The union faults district administrators for the deficit. In its December budget report, Seattle Colleges said that deviations from financial assumptions resulted in the deficit. In March, district CFO Davina Hogg attributed the budget deviations to accounting errors in the district’s data system, ctcLink. “Budgets in ctcLink often did not match [the] approved budget,” Hogg said.

But faculty members disagree. “It’s not just that,” Johnny Dwyer, president of WFSE Local 304, told The Seattle Collegian last year, “it’s also bad business practices by management.” He went on to say that district administrators “ignored” the accounting error for almost two years.

Amid the continued criticism of district administrators, Seattle Colleges has recently made changes to Central’s leadership. On April 2, the interim President of Seattle Colleges, Chantae Recasner, announced that she would be leaving her position to serve as president of Olympic College in Bremerton, Wash. Brent C. Jones, who previously served as superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, has been appointed the new interim president.

Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap, chancellor of Seattle Colleges, said in a statement that “this appointment reflects our commitment to ensuring continuity, stability, and forward momentum for Seattle Central College.” She went on to highlight Jones’s management of Seattle Public Schools’ “$1.2 billion budget.” However, as The Seattle Times points out, in his time at Seattle Public Schools, Jones presided over several years of “continuous $100-million budget deficits,” and “waning enrollment.”

The chancellor added that Jones will serve as president of Central for six months while administrators conduct a nationwide search for a permanent replacement.