Western Piedmont Community College Copes with Budget Cuts - Julie N. Chang, News Herald

A familiar occurrence in today’s economy, Western Piedmont Community College is operating with a smaller budget this year. The college saw a reduction in funding from the state and county of about $1.5 million, a decrease that administrators expected. “Western Piedmont Community College is committed to ensuring that decreases in its budget do not diminish the quality of education provided for students enrolled at the college,” Libby Barger, director of community relations, wrote in a statement to The News Herald. WPCC Vice President of Student Development Emily Williamson said, “According to the most recent census data, our community has the lowest educational attainment of any metropolitan statistical area in the state. The college must provide educational opportunities to individuals in our community so they can maintain employment and provide for their families. Decreases in state funding make it more difficult to provide those opportunities.”