ESCANABA -- Bay College and Gogebic Community College are seeing a record number of students enroll this year.  So both schools were cautiously optimistic when Governor Rick Snyder's budget proposal didn't include cuts to community colleges.

But the Michigan Senate Appropriations Committee disagreed Wednesday, recommending a $10 million cut.

"The Senate coming out with their proposal didn't overly surprise us, and we weren't too upset about it,” said Bay College President Dr. Laura Coleman.  “It actually comes out to a 3.9 percent cut, and that's something that we could sustain."

Officials from both Bay College and Gogebic Community College said Thursday they prepared for the worst by building potential cuts into their budgets.

Coleman added that as long as cuts stay under five percent, they're manageable.

In a statement to Upper Michigan’s Source, Governor Snyder's Press Secretary, Sara Wurfel, said:  "The Governor believes community colleges are one key to Michigan's education future and economic recovery...there will continue to be differences and tough choices along the way to solve the state's budget crisis, but the governor is confident he and legislators are working toward common goals."

The budget is expected to be completed by this summer which Coleman said will help with future planning.

“It is exceedingly important that we're able to hold on to the services that we deliver to students right now and that we make sure that our budgets are allocated in such a way that they don't get impeded, and the students get the services that they need," she said.

Nothing has been decided, and the measure still needs to pass the State House and Senate before arriving on Governor Snyder's desk.