Elgin Community College (ECC) is moving forward with planning for its fiscal year 2026–2027 budget. On June 9, 2026, the ECC Board of Trustees convened to review and discuss the upcoming financial framework.
Totaling $171 million, the board approved the fiscal year 2027 budget by vote. A decrease of $25.5 million (13%) from the $196.5 million 2026 fiscal year.
In 2026, the college generated approximately $81.5 million in revenue while spending $67.5 million on instructional programs, employee compensation, and student services. After transfers to support capital projects such as Athletics and Early Childhood Lab School, ECC’s funds maintained a positive balance of roughly $8 million. The school received a contribution of $16,295 from the Village of Hanover Park through local government services.
The board approved an Education Fund budget of $79.7 million for 2027, representing a growth of nearly $4.1 million (5.4%) compared to the 2026 Education Fund.
“The college continues to be in an upholding pattern with almost every grant we submitted this calendar year, with nearly 8.4 million in applications outstanding right now, and we’re awaiting news. Many, like our Perkins grant and our Community Recovery Support Specialist grant, we do expect to see funding. But others like TRIO or CCAMPIS are a little less known.”
Audience members may address the board during designated comment periods.
Anitra King, a full-time support staff member and representative of the Support Staff of Elgin Community College Associations (SSECCA), addressed the board. “We have completed our contract negotiations agreement,” she said. “We have our ratification meeting set on Wednesday and Thursday.”
The SSECCA union is comprised of support staff, excluding faculty members, police, and engineers. The administration recommends that the Board of Trustees approve a 4% salary increase for current employees who have been employed for more than 90 days at ECC.
King expressed, “This is the first time since 2011 that we’ve had our contract completed before the deadline.”
![Closed cubicles are available in the library for those that aren't able to reserve or access a study room, on May 5, 2026. Second-year student, Richard Lehman, said, regarding the need for more study rooms on campus, "in other buildings, there should be more study spaces because with [the Library] being the main study space, it's usually pretty crowded and cramped."](https://elginobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/reversednegatives-06442-1200x800.jpg)
