SEMO shows nonacademic cut options

Southeast Missouri State University officials will consider budgeting less for athletics and cutting school spending on student health services.

Those are just two of six possible moves involving restructuring, reducing or eliminating nonacademic programs that school officials say will be discussed at an open forum on Oct. 30 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom.

School officials announced the possible moves on Thursday after most faculty and students had already left campus for fall break.

The review process comes as the school is scrutinizing 18 academic programs with a goal of cutting some of those degree programs and eliminating some faculty jobs.

University president Dr. Ken Dobbins plans to recommend academic and nonacademic cost-cutting moves to the board of regents Nov. 14.

Besides cutting athletics and asking students to pay more for student health services, nonacademic moves being considered include: restructuring training and development, continuing education and off-campus programs; merging printing and duplicating with university relations; restructuring vending services and ID card services; and making KRCU, the college's National Public Radio affiliate station, more self-supporting.

How much money might be saved by various cost-cutting moves hasn't been determined.

As with academic programs, athletics and the other nonacademic programs will be reviewed based on the same criteria including size, scope, productivity, revenue generated, expenses, need, demand and quality.

But Dobbins said cuts in both academic and nonacademic areas are inevitable given the fact that the school is short as much as $2.4 million to balance its operating budget because of state funding cuts.

Dr. Paul Lloyd, who teaches psychology and is president of the Faculty Senate, said faculty would like the university administration to review more nonacademic programs in looking to cut costs. Lloyd said the university needs to look at administrative costs.

National statistics show that administrators make up the fastest growing employment group on college campuses, up 48 percent since 1993, Lloyd said. During the same period, the number of faculty has increased 14 percent.

Lloyd said the university must look at cutting spending on athletics. The school puts over $3.5 million into athletics annually.

"I really don't think people come here because of the football team," he said.

But Don Kaverman, athletics director, cautioned against making major cuts in athletics. He said athletics draws more public attention to the school than any academic program. Boosters have donated more than $6 million to the athletics program over the past eight years, he said.

The director of the university's Center for Health and Counseling said she knows of no plans right now to charge students more for center services.

Students who receive medical services at the campus center already pay fees when they are examined by nurse practitioners, undergo lab tests or receive over-the-counter medicines.

"They see the nurses for free," said Judith St. John, the center director.

She said students pay a health fee of 45 cents per credit hour to help fund campus health services. But that still amounts to 10 percent of the center's operating budget at most. The rest comes from the university.

St. John warned against reading too much into the announcement that health services may be cut.

"In terms of the hierarchy of ideas, I don't really know where it is on the list," she said.

Student Julia Metelski of Cape Girardeau said students already pay various fees when they seek medical treatment at the campus health center.

The bigger issue for students is the rising cost of education. It's more than course fees, she said. It's increases in everything from vending-machine cans of soda to charges for printing copies on campus copy machines.

"They are starting to nickel and dime us to death," she said.

Under review

Programs at Southeast that are under review for modification:

Restructuring training and development, continuing education and off-campus programs

Merging printing and duplicating services with university relations

Restructuring vending services and ID cards with assignment of responsibilities to residence life, Department of Public Safety and information technology

Reducing the budget for athletics

Moving KRCU to a more self-funded auxiliary model

Moving Student Health Services to a more self-funded auxiliary model

SOURCE: Southeast Missouri State University