PANEL SAYS SEMO CAN AFFORD RAISES

Southeast Missouri State University should cut expenses, not pay raises, to bring its budget in line with state spending cuts, the school's Budget Review Committee says.

The committee also says the university can trim $2.3 million from its $108 million budget without having to hike student tuition in midyear. The committee made its recommendations to university President Dr. Ken Dobbins this week.

But the final decision rests with the Board of Regents, which held off granting pay raises in June because of uncertainty over how much money the state would withhold from the school.

"It's not over until they vote," said Faculty Senate President and biology professor William Eddleman, who serves on the budget committee.

The regents plan to meet Aug. 1 to consider the latest spending plan, which includes 2 percent merit pay raises on average.

"I want to see the numbers," said Don Dickerson, board president. Dickerson said he won't commit to a pay raise without seeing the budget calculations.

"If we think it is doable, I am sure we would be delighted to do it," he said.

Dickerson said he also wants to see the specific spending cuts that are needed in the aftermath of Gov. Bob Holden's decision to withhold an added $2.3 million in state revenue from the university above the normal withholdings. University officials earlier this month calculated the added withholding at $2.5 million but later discovered it added up to $2.3 million.

The Budget Review Committee has proposed saving $1 million from cuts in equipment and operations spending and more than $1 million from a temporary hiring freeze. Higher than expected enrollment should generate $150,000 more in revenue than originally budgeted, the committee said.

Art Wallhausen, associate to the president at Southeast, sits on the committee. Wallhausen said the school's vice presidents are looking at what specific purchases or operations spending should be cut from the budget.

Eddleman said university employees would be relieved to get a pay raise. "It's not a huge salary increase, but it is an increase," he said.