BUTLER TWP — Butler County Community College trustees on Wednesday got updated on several initiatives.

BC3 President Nick Neupauer said the college expects to lose about $350,000 in state funds for the 2012-13 academic year.

The college’s budget this year is about $26.8 million, with $7.7 million, about 29 percent, coming from the state. Student tuition and fees account for 57 percent of the budget while county funds provide 13 percent.

State funds once accounted for 40 percent of the college’s revenue, according to Susan Chagnon, director of communications and marketing for BC3.

The trustees learned that Neupauer will attend a state educational conference in Harrisburg on June 14, joining presidents from the 13 other community colleges and the 14 state-owned universities, including Slippery Rock University, to discuss economic development for secondary education institutions in the state.

“We will be looking at the funding model for community colleges and seeing if any tweaks are necessary,” Neupauer said.

Specifically, he said part of the discussion will weigh the benefits of skills training, such as BC3s Marcellus Shale natural gas industry related courses, and traditional, credentials-based education.

The BC3 Education Foundation this month approved a feasibility study for a capital campaign. The last such campaign in 2000 raised about $4 million for the college.

Also, the college received four bids from contractors interested in building the one-mile-long Shaffer Walking Trail named for E. Bertrum and Esther Shaffer, whose estate donated $334,000 to BC3.

The bids are being reviewed by the college’s solicitor and architect.

Neupauer has said the trail will be completed this fall.