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������Ƶ’s Board of Governors has passed a $126.8 million budget for the coming year, but the board also recognized that circumstances associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic will prompt change over the coming months.

It was passed Tuesday by the Board which gathered virtually through an online meeting platform, an indication of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on operations at the institution.

“The very nature of the meeting drove home the fact that circumstances are changing rapidly. We fully recognize the budget was passed as a starting place while the uncertainty associated with the pandemic resolves itself,” explains President Jim Hamilton. The budget was developed before the pandemic was declared and before colleges and universities in the province moved to cease face-to-face delivery of programs.

“In the last three weeks things have changed dramatically and we cannot precisely forecast how these changed circumstances will affect our operations, especially revenue and expenses,” notes Curtis Morcom, ������Ƶ’s Vice President Employee and Corporate Services. “There are uncertainties about how long the current situation will last and about what it will do to enrolments or costs. We have been and will be monitoring the impact on operations and will be adjusting expenditures accordingly.”

������Ƶ offers more than 150 programs at its four major campuses in Vernon, Salmon Arm, Penticton and Kelowna, as well as at several other learning centres. “We intend to continue to offer as many of those as possible,” says Hamilton.

Each year ������Ƶ offers courses to more than 21,000 people.