BUTLER TWP — Butler County Community College is applying for state funds to supplement two major modernization projects it plans to undertake at a total cost of $1 million.

The college’s board of trustees voted unanimously Wednesday afternoon, March 18, to submit an application to the state Department of Education to request funds for replacing and modernizing the document imaging and processing system as well as replacing and modernizing campus security infrastructure.

Jake Friel, vice president of administration and finance for the college, said the process of applying for these funds is done each year. It requires BC3 to identify a primary and secondary project that it requests funds for.

For this year’s projects, the college expects the updating of the document imaging and processing system to cost $750,000 and for modernization of security infrastructure to cost $250,000. The program requires a 50% match from the college, meaning each entity would contribute $500,000 toward the projects.

“We’re being advised by the (Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges) that this would be a good year to make sure that you submit both, because they think that there would be funds available for all colleges to receive its primary and secondary projects getting funded,” Friel said.

For security upgrades on campus, he said the money will be spent replacing the current system while adding new cameras and surveillance methods for campus security to use.

“We would be installing a license plate reader at our entrances which would read the plates of cars coming and going, which again has been identified by security staff (as a need),” he said.

Friel said beyond expanding its security capabilities, the college will also tie its system into a program with the Butler County 911 center, allowing dispatchers to access cameras remotely.

“Whatever emergency we’re calling about on our campus, the 911 center would have access to those feeds and be able to help whatever help is being sent to the college. They would be able to view whatever the emergency is on their equipment, which could assist them before they ever go on campus,” he said.

Friel said the replacement of the current system will also put BC3 back within federal regulations for campus security, as Chinese-manufactured cameras are now considered noncompliant for institutions receiving Department of Defense grants.

The college was considered grandfathered into compliance, but cannot repair or replace the existing manufacturer’s cameras.

“We have significant Department of Defense grants related to our cybersecurity programs,” he said.

Friel added that the update to document imaging and processing would be substantive and would completely change how certain parts of the college do their documentation.

“This isn’t just scanning and storing our documents, but allowing electronic documents to be shared, processed, signed, purged. It would expedite and make us more efficient for the application and registration process in our student services,” he said.

He said the college explored the idea of this work about five years ago, but found it to be outside of its price range. However, with half the cost covered, it becomes much more affordable.

Friel said he is unsure of exactly when the college can expect to receive the funds.