During a regular meeting on Monday, June 22, 2026, the John Wood Community College Board of Trustees approved a tentative balanced budget of $19,608,087 for fiscal year 2026-27. The budget is $41,396 more than the previous year.
Enrollment drives most of JWCC’s budget, as tuition and fees account for 43% of total revenue. Tuition will increase by $5 per credit hour. Corporate and personal property taxes make up 41%, state funding 9%, and 7% comes from other sources.
Prior to approving the tentative budget resolution, trustees heard a special report on the college’s efforts to expand career and technical education in high schools and increase customized workforce training for regional employers. JWCC President Dr. Aron Potter is leading an initiative to create additional pathways that allow students to earn industry-recognized credentials while still in high school and help incumbent workers gain new skills that support career advancement.
The initiative builds upon a strong foundation established by former Dean of Career and Technical Education Phil Conover, who served the college from 2007 to 2012. Conover strengthened partnerships with regional manufacturers and worked alongside faculty, staff and industry leaders to develop programs that addressed workforce needs and created opportunities for students to enter high-demand careers.
In 2009, Conover was part of a team that helped bring to life JWCC’s Workforce Development Center, creating a dedicated hub for technical training and workforce education. The center was significantly expanded in 2024 and is home to programs ranging from welding, logistics and truck driver training to automation, industrial maintenance and HVAC. His vision helped position JWCC as a regional leader in career and technical education and workforce development.
Current Dean of Career and Technical Education Dave Hetzler has helped continue that momentum, most recently through the creation of Illinois’ first Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education chapter. Supported by six regional manufacturers, the FAME model combines paid employment with classroom instruction, allowing students to work three days a week while receiving advanced manufacturing training from JWCC faculty two days a week.
To honor Conover’s vision and decades of advocacy, the JWCC Foundation will establish the Conover Career and Technical Education Fund. Working alongside Potter, foundation leaders and economic development representatives, Conover will continue to support expanded opportunities in skilled trades and technical careers for students and workers throughout the region.
“Phil Conover is a legend in many ways, and we are proud that he has allowed us to honor him while continuing to lend his expertise and passion to our efforts,” Potter said. “John Wood serves as the bridge between students and employers. It is our responsibility to expand it so more students, workers and businesses can thrive in the future.”
In other business, the board:
The next meeting of the JWCC Board of Trustees will be Wednesday, July 22, at 6 p.m. on the college’s Quincy campus.
