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Southwestern Illinois College to lay off 47 employees

Provided | Southwestern Illinois College
The Liberal Arts Building at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Illinois

Eight full-time and 39 part-time employees of Southwestern Illinois College will lose their jobs in July after its board of trustees approved the cuts Wednesday.

Another 19 administrative positions at the Metro East community college are also being eliminated in July, in a plan trustees approved in March.

In a statement, SWIC said this summer’s layoffs represent a combined savings of $2.4 million and follow a nearly 90 percent drop in state aid last fiscal year.

“The additional reduction in force is not based on people or performance, but on the state budget crisis that is directly impacting institutions of higher education statewide,” said the college’s president, Georgia Costello.

The school also pointed to declines in enrollment as a contributing factor.

SWIC offers more than 150 associate degree and certificate programs at its campuses in Belleville, Granite City and Red Bud.

Follow Camille on Twitter: @cmpcamille