COOS BAY – After employee unions rejected a 5 percent pay cut, Southwestern Oregon Community College officials will plug the resulting half-million-dollar budget gap by imposing a $15-per-class surcharge on distance learning students.

The surcharge, along with cuts in other areas, will prevent further layoffs administrators say.

The college’s $57.6 million budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year also features a $7 tuition increase and fee increases for housing, nursing, and the Oregon Coast Culinary Institute. Those were passed earlier this year. The college’s board adopted the completed budget Monday night.

Linda Kridelbaugh, the interim vice president of administrative services, applauded staff members for spending so little this year, making the budget process a little easier.

“We’ve lived an austere life,” she said.

According to a press release from the college, the budget represents a 15 percent cut in state funding. State support generally represents about half of the college’s budget.

The college cut 16 jobs in November, and 15 others went unfilled during 2008-09. The 2009-10 budget omits all of those jobs and lists 13 more layoffs for 2009-10.

A number of programs and services also will be eliminated or suspended to balance the budget, while every area continues to economize on materials and supplies. Eliminated programs and services include the English Language Institute, resource development and grant writing assistance, theater classes, and the Vista Service Learning position.

Suspended or reduced programs and services include International Student Services, Human Services degrees. Additionally, golf will be cut by 50 percent, and computer science offerings and the information technology services budget will be down 60 percent.

Hours for the human resources department, library, rec center and grounds maintenance will be reduced. Athletic programs will be asked to supplement their budgets with fundraising.