Changes at Butler County Community College are happening amid a rapidly, drastically changing landscape for higher education.

School’s are facing funding and regulatory uncertainty at the federal and state-levels.

The Trump administration has targeted the Department of Education for elimination, leaving uncertainty on funding from the federal government.

Meanwhile, state-level funding is held up as the Pennsylvania General Assembly continues budget negotiations after missing its June 30 deadline for the third year straight, with no end to the logjam in sight.

Previously, the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges requested a 6% increase for operating budgets and a 6% increase in capital budgets for Pennsylvania community colleges, but the fate of that request remains uncertain.

In recent months, Jake Friel, BC3’s vice president for administration and finance, has painted a slightly rosier picture of the school’s finances than those things might indicate. He said at the May board of trustees meeting the college was ending the academic year in a solid revenue position, with $400,000 more than expected, leaving at least some cushion.

BC3’s budget expenditures and expected revenue for 2024-25 were over $29.8 million.

BC3 is far from alone in dealing with changing demographics. College enrollment in general is also in decline, especially in an aging state.

Previously, BC3 president Megan Coval said in an interview dealing with the “enrollment cliff” is especially hard for schools of all kinds, particularly in Pennsylvania where there are not as many traditional, 18-year-old students headed for college as there once was.

This trend was apparent when Penn State recently announced the closure of seven branch campuses by the end of the 2026-27 school year. Those seven campuses currently have around 3,000 enrolled students combined. In the western half the state, Penn State is closing its New Kensington, Shenango, Dubois and Fayette campuses.

BC3 announced in March it is discontinuing in-person credit programs at its Lindenpointe location in Hermitage, Mercer County. The decision, according to a news release at the time, was the result of analysis of enrollment trends, facility usage, and “financial implications and future sustainability.”

In the release, Novak said in-person enrollment at the Lindenpointe location had steadily declined in recent years — from 300 students in 2014 to just 45 in 2024. Moving forward, BC3 said it will continue serving Mercer County through online programs and classes, workforce training and high school dual enrollment.

BC3 currently has five alternate locations spread across Butler, Lawrence, Mercer, Armstrong and Jefferson counties.

Currently, BC3’s total enrollment is about 2,764, according to Bill Foley.

“We all know the headlines, which feel like they’re coming every day, telling us that it is a challenging, tough, interesting time for higher education, and it is. I’ll admit that,” Coval said. “I also firmly believe that the things that make it hard in higher education right now are also the things that make it very ripe for opportunity.”

However, the college has said it is committed to maintaining it’s footprint where it can.

Friel said fulfilling its side of state initiatives is an important reason for BC3’s continued presence in counties outside of Butler.

“While it is Butler County Community College, we receive a significant part of our funding from the state and the state has its own initiatives that it wants to expand community college in underserved areas,” Friel said. “So that’s how we were first brought into the idea. It was at the asking of other community leaders to see what we could offer.”