Community colleges seek $16.6M for maintenance, safety and IT upgrades

Mark Rubenstein, representing the Community College System of New Hampshire, told the Fiscal Committee the system seeks approximately $16.6 million across seven projects to address deferred maintenance and modernize campuses statewide.

Rubenstein and capital planning staff said the highest priorities include about $2.4 million for critical maintenance (roof repairs, elevator replacement, heating systems), $4.8 million for safety and security upgrades (surveillance, access control, emergency communications), and $1.7 million for IT infrastructure and cybersecurity improvements. "The IT infrastructure and replacements are necessary to ensure continued reliability and security of systems," the CCSNH presentation said, noting Wi‑Fi and endpoint protection needs.

Other requests include $2.19 million for site improvements and parking rehabilitation across campuses, $3 million for White Mountains Community College Littleton HVAC replacement, $2 million phased investments in building management systems for energy efficiency, and $500,000 to modernize NHTI’s dental hygiene and radiology labs. Jason Bishop (risk management) and CIO Barbara Speda described equipment end‑of‑life and consolidation gains from prior IT standardization.

College officials emphasized student safety, workforce training needs, and energy savings as rationales for the asks; committee members probed the scope and whether projects were replacements or new installations.

Next steps: CCSNH will provide priority lists and facility assessments to the committee as budget deliberations proceed.