Mayor Has High Hopes For Quincy College, Despite Challenges

QUINCY, MA- Quincy Mayor, Thomas Koch, spoke to the press on Tuesday at his State of the City address. In Koch's speech, he highlights the potential programs and amenities which could help carry Quincy College out of their financial woes.

In June 2020, the city budget revealed that there was a $2.4 million shortage in the city budget, which would be used to fund Quincy College's employee health benefits. Elected officials started to worry about the potential problems this could cause because if the college couldn't pay the balance, the tab would fall into the city's hands. One solution came from cutting the necessary amount to pay the shortage from the city's health insurance budget in 2021, but was withdrawn from consideration.

At the time, Mayor Koch said, "I want to keep the college going. It's the right thing for a good portion of our young people,". Koch then explained that he didn't want the city to be burdened with fulfilling the major balance as well.

To this day, the $2.4 million shortage is still an issue, but Mayor Koch explained in his State of the City address that there is reason for hope to get out of this hole. As a way to draw in more funding, Koch introduced new programs and a team on the building committee to begin planning and constructing a new campus downtown. Koch hopes these new amenities can give a boost in enrollment numbers, given that Quincy College has struggled in that area as of late.

At Koch's address, he said, "Quincy College cannot thrive simply as a college in Quincy. It must be Quincy’s college,".

Koch explained how the college is in a much better place financially than it was last summer, but is still scraping for solutions for this outstanding balance. "I believe wholeheartedly that the city must strengthen, not weaken, its partnership with the college because we have an undeniable responsibility to do so," said Koch.

Along with the new programs, Koch is planning to work with the public school system to expand dual enrollment programs in multiple majors. Also, the city will provide Quincy College with a grant of $430,000 to support 120 low income residents who lost their jobs to COVID-19 with free certificate-level training in various fields.

For more on the original report of the money shortage, click here.

For more on Mayor Koch's comments on Quincy College, click here.