Colleges will seek full funding -- and more

Given the amounts of recent budget cuts for state-funded colleges and universities in Missouri, it was probably inevitable: Public colleges and universities are asking for restoration of funding slashed over the last two budget years.

These schools will include Southeast Missouri State University as well as the University of Missouri system.

Public four-year institutions had their budgets for fiscal year 2003, which started July 1, cut by 10 percent from appropriations for the previous fiscal year -- and that funding was substantially less than the legislature authorized because of midyear withholdings by Gov. Bob Holden.

State budget director Brian Long said the early forecasts point to general revenue growth of less than $200 million for fiscal year 2004. General revenue is the state's primary source of funding for higher education.

"Revenue is going to be so tight that we won't be able to fund that many increases," Long said. As a matter of fact, says Long, his office is asking state agencies to reduce spending even further and will look critically at requests for increases above appropriations for the current fiscal year.

Notwithstanding this, the University of Missouri's board of curators has endorsed a $565 million budget request that would restore all cuts and withholdings, with additional increases to boot. Such a request, if approved, would mark a $154 million increase over the current fiscal year.

Needless to say, it would also gobble up nearly all the expected increase in state revenue. Such a request is unrealistic under current conditions. Sadly, without needed changes, the same can be said for Southeast's plan to ask for restoration of its 10 percent cut.

Unless some new source of funding is found for state programs that have been hit hard in the last two years -- higher education being hit the hardest -- no request for full funding plus something extra is likely to be considered seriously.

These requests will need to go through the state's Coordinating Board for Higher Education before going on to the governor's office for review and possible inclusion in the fiscal year 2004 budget he will propose next winter.

Despite the bleak budget future for higher education, officials of Missouri's taxpayer-supported colleges and universities will have to speak out and level with lawmakers and the public about their budget woes, and how this governor and the legislature have been shorting them.

Without that candor, nothing will change.