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Tuition
to Increase
By David Russell
University
of Missouri System President Elson
S. Floyd addressed the UM
Board of Curators May 22 in St. Louis, saying that a major
tuition hike next fall is unavoidable given the current uncertain
state budget climate. The Board later approved a proposal to
increase tuition by 19.8 percent next fall.
Floyd said that the University is mindful
of the sacrifices that students and their families make to attend
a well-respected research university.
“I strongly favor maintaining tuition
at as low a level as possible consistent with the needs of the
University to sustain a high level of quality instruction and
services for our students,” Elson said. “As the
son of working-class parents, I deeply value access, affordability
and opportunity in higher education.”
Floyd reminded the curators that they approved
a proposal to increase undergraduate and graduate tuition by
3.2 percent for fall semester 2003, which was just enough to
cover increases in operating costs caused by inflation. “The
recommendation at the March meeting was an expression of good
faith and support for the governor and legislative leaders who
were working hard to protect higher education from additional
cuts,” Floyd said. “The General Assembly did not
succeed in producing a budget that held higher education harmless,
and the prospects for improvement in state appropriations for
fiscal year 2004 (during a special session) are not promising.”
The budget picture continues to be murky
and the news is nearly all bad. The higher education budget
passed by the General Assembly includes a 6.8 percent decrease
in the core appropriation for the University of Missouri, which
translates to a permanent cut of $28 million. The tuition increase
approved by the Board May 22 will produce just $24 million.
The balance of $4 million will have to be made up from other
sources.
The governor vetoed the higher education
appropriations bill when it reached his desk and called a special
session of the General Assembly in June to address the funding
shortfall. On May 23, the governor announced that he would withhold
an additional $4.3 million from the University to make up the
deficit caused by unexpectedly low state revenue collections
in the last few months of fiscal year 2003.
The governor’s latest action brings
the total of cuts and withholdings absorbed by the University
during the last two years to $124 million. University officials
have been advised to brace for additional withholdings early
in fiscal year 2004.
Floyd told the curators that he continues
to focus on sustaining the quality of the academic enterprise
and honoring the University’s commitment to its students.
He said the University has reduced operating expenses through
a number of avenues during the past two years. Tuition is the
only option left for coping with major cuts in state support.
Like other institutions across the state,
the University of Missouri has taken drastic measures to bring
its budgets in line without sacrificing the quality of the educational
experience for students:
- Many employees have been encouraged to
take early retirements.
- Employees have been laid off.
- Hundreds of faculty and staff positions
have been eliminated or left open.
- Programs have been cut back or eliminated.
- Operating expenses have been cut, and
will be cut again.
- Some functions have been consolidated,
such as procurement and information and technology services.
- Students are experiencing larger classes,
fewer courses and reduced services.
- Repair and renovation projects have been
cancelled or deferred, and will cost more to accomplish in
the future.
- Outreach and Extension has reduced vital
services in many counties around the state.
Further reductions in the University’s
work force could result in fewer classes with larger enrollments,
caps on enrollments in certain degree programs, elimination
of degree programs, increased risk to accreditation of professional
programs, and reductions in research activity that in turn threaten
the University’s capability to continue attracting federal
grants to fund basic research. This is happening at the same
time that the demand for a college education is increasing.
Enrollments on each of the four campuses are higher than ever.
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Copyright © 2009 — Curators of the University of Missouri
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An equal opportunity/ADA institution.
Published by the Mizzou Alumni Association
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Last Update:
July 2, 2009
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