SEMO TO WORKERS: NO SALARY INCREASES

Southeast Missouri State University employees won't be receiving pay raises this year unless some additional funding is found, university officials said Tuesday.

With state funding for general operations at Southeast expected to remain at the current $30.7 million level for the 1992 fiscal year, university officials said that there is not sufficient revenue to provide pay raises.

"That tells you how serious (the funding situation) is," Southeast President Kala Stroup told the Board of Regents Tuesday.

Robert Foster, Southeast's executive vice president, said: "It's one of the things that will go down hard (with employees)."

In other business, the regents:

Enacted a student activity fee.

Approved development of a master's degree in nursing. The university will now seek approval of the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. If approved, the university will request funding from the Missouri General Assembly.

Visited the site of the proposed College of Business Administration building at Henderson and New Madrid and heard from the project architect about the preliminary planning for the $14.5 million, 100,000-square-foot facility.

Tuesday's meeting marked the first session for Lynn Dempster of Sikeston and Mark Pelts of Kennett. Both were appointed to the Board of Regents in March.

Several of the regents expressed concern about Stroup's plan to hold only 11 scheduled meetings of the board over the next two years.

Stroup suggested conducting the major business of the board on a quarterly basis, with special meetings to be held in between as necessary.

But Carl Ben Bidewell, who was elected the new president of the board Tuesday, said he felt regents need to meet more often in order to properly conduct the business of the board.

"For us to do a decent job, we've got to have more than four meetings a year," said Bidewell.

Dempster agreed. "We need the support of the people and the community," she said. "They need to feel like we are responsible and that we do a hands-on job."

No final decision was made as to the frequency of future meetings, but Stroup said she would abide by the wishes of the board.

As to the 1992 budget, university administrators said that even with a substantial hike in tuition and other fees, Southeast currently faces a $606,129 deficit just in continuing operations for the coming fiscal year.

Foster said it will cost more than $49.6 million just to continue operations for the coming fiscal year that begins July 1. But revenue from state appropriations, student fees, and other sources is expected to total barely more than $49 million, he said.

According to budget figures submitted to the regents, the university faces an $847,000 increase in personnel costs. That figure includes $733,000 in increased health insurance costs and other benefits and $114,000 in increased student labor costs.

Employee promotions would cost another $150,000, said Foster, adding that the university has always found ways to fund promotions even in tight budget years.

A 1 percent pay raise for the university's 927 employees would cost an additional $289,600, budget figures show.

Foster said that anticipated revenue won't allow for any pay raise. On top of that, he said, the university will have to cut $600,000 in operating costs just to balance the budget.

"When we come to you in June, we will have a balanced budget," Foster told the regents. The board is expected to consider approving the budget at its June meeting.

As to the new student activity fee, it includes both a fee to help fund student organizations and a fee to help pay for additional "free" seating for students at athletic events.

Combined, the total fee amounts to $25 a semester for students enrolled in seven or more credit hours and $12.50 for students enrolled in less than seven credit hours. The fee will be implemented beginning with the fall semester.

As to the nursing degree, university officials said a graduate-degree nursing program is needed in Southeast Missouri. The university already offers an undergraduate nursing program.

Currently, there are only three master's degree nursing programs in the state. Those are offered by universities in St. Louis, Columbia and Kansas City, Southeast officials said.

It's estimated that another 124 master's degree nurses will be needed in Missouri for each of the next five years, university officials said.

The proposed nursing program would cost an estimated $225,000 a year. It would emphasize health care for rural areas, university officials said.