Officials - SEMO still real bargain

Southeast Missouri State University still could be a financial bargain for students even if state spending cuts prompt a major hike in fees, school officials say.

That point was underscored at an open forum Wednesday sponsored by the university's Budget Review Committee. About 30 students, faculty, staff and administrators attended the noontime meeting at Academic Hall Auditorium.

Dr. Ivy Locke, vice president of business and finance, said tuition and general student fees at Southeast have increased less than $700 over the past eight years for undergraduates enrolled in 24 credit-hours of classes a year.

SEMO fees are less

At seven other public universities in the state, student fees have increased by more than $1,000 over the same period, Locke said.

Several universities hiked graduate and undergraduate fees for spring semester. Southeast didn't.

At Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Mo., undergraduates are paying $1,524 this semester for 12 credit-hours of classes or $114 more than students at Southeast.

"Comparable institutions are charging more for an education than Southeast," said Locke, who chairs the university's 28-member Budget Review Committee.

Student fees currently total $25.6 million for Southeast this fiscal year, about a third of the estimated income of $73.3 million for general operations at the school. The rest comes largely from state money, $45.6 million. The other $2 million comes from charges paid to the general operations budget from self-supporting campus auxiliary services, including the residence halls.

Student and Budget Review Committee member Ross McFerron of Advance, Mo., said he was disappointed few students attended the forum.

He also said the committee is far from ironing out budget solutions.

"I don't feel we have gotten a whole lot of planning done so far," McFerron said.

University administrators and the Budget Review Committee are looking at cost-cutting moves and a hike in student fees to combat major cuts in state spending for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Cut waste

Danny Rees, who works as a plumber at Southeast, said the university should look to cut waste.

"I don't think there is a department on campus that doesn't see a waste of money," he said at the forum.

But Rees worries that budget cuts could hurt campus maintenance efforts and ultimately lead to more costly building repairs.

School officials say the university is facing an approximately $6 million budget shortfall caused by decreased state funding of nearly $5 million and $1 million in added expenses for everything from health insurance to public safety.

Under Gov. Bob Holden's proposed budget, Southeast would receive $43.9 million in state money for general operations next fiscal year. That's nearly $5 million less than the $48.8 million Southeast had expected to receive in fiscal 2002. It's $1.7 million less than the $45.6 million actually earmarked for Southeast this fiscal year after a series of state spending cuts.

Dr. Ken Dobbins, Southeast president, said Wednesday that the university would reduce expenses and hike student fees to balance the budget.

"We are all going to have to share in this pain," he said.

University officials and the Budget Review Committee haven't calculated a fee hike yet.

Dobbins predicted the Board of Regents won't be considering a hike in student fees until April.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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