Fiscal responsibility Community colleges contract with certified public accountants for annual financial audits. Despite this safeguard, however, financial problems persist at some colleges. In September 1995, SAO noted nine institutions with expenditures exceeding revenues and 11 just slightly above break-even point. The state's Bond Review Board also reports community college financial information. This information would allow student consumers to make informed decisions and elected officials and taxpayers to hold administrators accountable for their decisions.
Informed stakeholders are the best deterrent against poor performance.
The program measures discussed in this proposal could help boards identify successful and marginal programs, and determine the cost-effectiveness of various programs. Bench Marks for Community and Junior Colleges in Texas demonstrate effective uses of the types of internal and external information that should be made available. The Fact Book , soon to be published for the first time, will present enrollment, access, and performance information in a summary format. The book would be far more useful, however, in a comparative format. The 1991 TRL report compared revenue sources, tax rates, and expenditures.