Budget Development Committee
Meeting Minutes

MEETING DATE: 10/07/2026

1. Call to Order For information

• Meeting called to order by Sean Brooks at 9:48am.

 

2. Review & Approve Agenda

• Motion to approve Agenda
• Agenda Approved by: David Powers and Alesia High
• Agenda Approved by Committee

 

3. Review & Approve Minutes

• Motion to approve May Minutes
• Minutes Approved by: David Powers and Lavonna Routt
• Minutes Approved by Committee
• Abstentions: Lilibeth Mata Juarez and Roshni Rao

 

4. Action Items

• None

 

5. Old Business

Review Budget - Sean Brooks

• VP Brooks provided an overview of LPC's 2026-2027 adopted budget, highlighting increased funding, current expenditures, and ongoing efforts to address the structural deficit.
  • Budget Increase: The overall budget increased from approximately $46 million to $56 million, primarily due to negotiated salary increases and additional funding for part-time faculty.
  • Part-Time Faculty Funding: The District increased the Part-Time Faculty budget from approximately $6 million to $12 million to better align funding with actual instructional needs.  However, Part-Time Faculty expenditures are currently at approximately 30%, exceeding the expected 25% for this point in the fiscal year.
  • Current Expenditures: As of September 30, LPC had expended approximately 24% of its annual budget, slightly below the expected 25%.  VP Brooks cautioned that July and August typically have lower expenditures, so current spending may not accurately reflect future trends.
  • Projected Deficit: The Board's Adopted Budget on September 15 with a projected deficit of approximately $1.723 million.  Despite increased funding, LPC continues to face a structural deficit
  • Potential Budget Improvements: Salary savings from vacant positions, increased enrollment, and additional enrollment growth funding may help reduce the projected deficit.
  • State Funding Changes: Updated enrollment calculations from the Chancellor's Office, allowing the use of the highest enrollment year rather than only a three-year average, have positively affected the the Student Centered Funding Formula (SCFF) allocation.
  • Fiscal Responsibility: VP Brooks emphasized the importance of monitoring departmental expenditures, controlling costs, and making sustainable budget adjustments to address recurring deficits.
• Next Steps
  • Continue monitoring expenditures, particularly part-time faculty salaries.
  • Evaluate vacancy savings and potential additional revenue from enrollment growth.
  • Maintain responsible spending practices across all Departments.
  • Provide ongoing budget updates and discuss strategies for addressing the structural deficit.

 

6. New Business

PBC Review - David Powers

• David Powers provided a brief update from the recent PBC Meeting, highlighting the adopted 2026-2027 budget, the District's financial challenges, and committee business.
• Key Discussion Points
  • 2026-2027 Adopted Budget: Chancellor Gerhard presented an overview of the District's budget, which was approved by the Board of Trustees on September 15, 2026.
  • Hold Harmless Funding: The District recently transitioned out of Hold Harmless funding and continues working to address financial challenges and structural deficits at both LPC and Chabot.
  • Enrollment Growth and Spending: VP Brooks explained that the District had intentionally invested additional resources in course offerings and enrollment growth to improve its funding position.  With enrollment reaching a more sustainable level, the District can now focus on maintaining enrollment while controlling expenditures.
  • Faculty Retirement and Staffing: The Committee discussed the impact of employees participating in the SERP.  Some Full-Time Faculty retirements may require additional Part-Time Faculty to maintain instructional offerings.
  • Committee Charge and Membership: PBC reviewed its charge and membership and determined that no changes were necessary.
  • Next PBC Meeting: November 6, 2026.

 

7. Updates

• None

 

8. Good of the Order

• VP Sean Brooks welcomed returning and new members of the Budget Development Committee for the 2026-2027 academic year.  Members introduced themselves and shared their roles and interests in participating on the committee.
• New Committee Members
  • Lavonna Hunter: Director of Financial Aid, interested in gaining a better understanding of LPC 's budget and how departmental budgets contribute to overall financial planning.
  • Lilibeth Mata Juarez: Outreach Representative for the Division of Arts and Humanities, joining the committee for the first time.
  • Roshni Rao: Student Government Representative and second-year Economics major, interested in learning more about budgeting and financial decision-making.
• Returning Committee Members
  • Ashley Young (Academic Senate Vice President)
  • Andrea Anderson (Administrative Services)
  • Alesia High (Fiscal Coordinator for Special Programs and Grants)
  • David Powers (Faculty Association Vice President)
  • Kenneth Cooper (Executive Director of the LPC Foundation)
  • VP Sean Brooks (Committee Chair)
• Committee Membership Updates
  • VP Brooks noted that David Rodriguez (SEIU Representative) and Rajinder Samra (PBC Representative) were absent.  Sui Sung, Administrative Services Officer, was attending VAR Training.  One PBC Representative vacancy remains, which the Committee plans to fill within the next month.
• LPC Games Announcement
  • VP Brooks encouraged committee members to attend the second annual LPC Games at the Main Stage Theater with activities beginning around 2:30pm.

 

9. Future Agenda Items

• None

 

Meeting adjourned at 10:08am

Next meeting: November 4, 2026