Saying, "Despite all of the many financial challenges born from the pandemic," Southwestern Michigan College Board Chair Thomas F. Jerdon and his colleagues have adopted the college's 2021-22 fiscal year budgets this week. Following a public hearing on Wednesday evening, the Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees adopted the balanced $24,109,000 general fund for July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022. That budget anticipates $9,102,000 from tuition and fees, $6,406,000 from property taxes on 2.4038 mills and a $7,244,000 state appropriation. Chairman Jerdon says, "SMC has always had a balanced budget and does so again despite all of the many financial challenges born from the pandemic," and adds, "The administration has the highest gratitude from the Board of Trustees for steering the financial ship in the right direction while we continue to maintain our campuses, provide a 3-percent increase to all employees, complete a $550,000 chemistry lab project at th