Millions of dollars going to community colleges to aid in budget costs, along with an update on the search process to replace EC’s president were heard by the board of trustees during yesterday’s meeting.

“First level interviews (for the new school president) will be on Sep. 11 and 12,” Linda Beam, vice president of human resources said. “This will be a screening process to determine the final candidates.”

After choosing what will most likely be “the best three to five candidates,” those people will be the final shortlist to replace current president Tom Fallo.

During the week of Sept. 28 to Oct. 2, each of the final candidates will have a public forum with a somewhat detailed biography for the campus to get to know each person along with a questions and answers segment for campus constituents. Afterwards, the board will conduct their own interviews to get a feel for each candidate.

After taking the time to decide what sort of schedule to go with, the board decided to have campus forums be during the mid-day time of around noon to 2 p.m., with board interviews being in the afternoon just following the forum.

The meeting moved on into a budget presentation for the board by Jo Ann Higdon, vice president of administrative services, with the main focus on several key allocations going to the school.

One of the large statewide allocations of money is $62.3 million that will be funded throughout the state for full-time employees. EC will be getting $1 million to hire nine new full-time faculty members, should the school grow.

Trustee Cliff Numark had some concerns regarding the hiring of new faculty members.

“Are we going to be getting rid of employees for the full-time people,” Numark asked. “That’s one of my questions, because it seems we’re just adding extended term people even though this money is a one-time deal.”

Numark’s concerns were heard and Higdon clarified that the money is to be used for hiring full-time employees. There were no specifics saying that full-timers must be new employees, meaning part-time faculty members can be made full-timers.

Although the money is a one-time deal, any money not used can be paid back once the chancellor’s office checks back on the school regarding the use of the money.

The next board of trustees meeting will be on Sept. 8, following Labor Day. That meeting will involve final prep before the first screening of presidential candidates.