Riverland Community College ends another successful year at this month's college commencement. Given this excitement, you may wonder why I have chosen to address the topic of "financial crisis" in this month's column. The answer is simple: we understand the College's effect on the region we serve and want to be as transparent as possible in our communication as we plan for an uncertain future. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system's recent news about tuition increases at campuses across the state has also raised awareness in the media.