SOUTHEAST CONSIDERS OPTIONS TO ABSORB MASSIVE BUDGET CUTS

Students would shoulder a large share of the cost of making ends meet at Southeast Missouri State University in the face of the latest round of state budget cuts.

A proposal to increase tuition by $3 to $5 per credit hour for the spring and summer semesters is one of a number of ideas under consideration by university officials to make up for $942,325 withheld from an already scaled-back budget.

Allen Gathman, Faculty Senate chairman, discussed the proposed budget moves at Wednesday afternoon's senate meeting.

Gathman said the tuition hike and other possible budget moves were "kicked around" Tuesday at a meeting of the university's administrative council on which he serves.

Raising tuition by $3 to $5 per credit hour would generate an estimated $240,000 to $400,000, Gathman said.

Every $1 hike in the credit-hour charge for the spring and summer semesters would generate an additional $80,000 in revenue for the university, the senate chairman reported.

Currently, Missouri resident undergraduates at Southeast pay $69 per credit hour. Non-resident undergraduates pay $129 per credit hour.

The hourly rate applies to students taking up to 12 credit hours per semester. Students taking 13 to 16 hours pay the same price as those taking 12. The rates go up for those taking more than 16 credit hours.

But Gathman said the administrative council discussed elimination of the "plateau" above 12 hours, charging students the per-credit-hour fee for each class taken, regardless of the total.

Other proposals under consideration are:

A hike in textbook rental charges.

Use of carry-over funds from the previous fiscal year, which could amount to $100,000 to $250,000.

Closure of the university during the Dec. 20 to Jan. 6 semester break, thus reducing power costs by an estimated $3,000 a day for the 16-day period.

Energy conservation by reducing temperatures in academic buildings on weekends.

Continued hiring freeze to save possibly another $200,000 to $300,000.

Reduction of summer session offerings. The summer classes currently result in a "net loss" to the university of $100,000, Gathman said.

Reduction of the number of buildings summer classes are held in.

Possible reduction in custodial staff.

As to the textbook rental charges, Gathman said students now pay $7 a book, with a maximum total charge of $35.

The administrative council has discussed raising the charge to $10 or $15 a book and eliminating the $35 cap, Gathman said.

The university's Budget Committee will be meeting soon to discuss the situation, he said.

On another matter, anthropology and sociology professor Max Drake resigned from the Faculty Senate.

In a letter to Gathman, Drake complained that the senate lacks any real power.

"As university governance is now structured, only the words of the administration and Board of Regents count," wrote Drake.

"The senate has no control over faculty working conditions, pay or terms of service. Neither does it control classroom conditions or faculty relationships with students, colleagues and the administration."

He said the regents' rejection of a portion of the merit pay plan drafted by the senate illustrates the senate's lack of power.

He suggested abolishing the senate and developing a new process that would give the faculty "a real and effective voice in university governance."

Drake's resignation was received with little comment during the meeting. But following the meeting, Faculty Senator Ronald Clayton said that faculty senates at universities are clearly advisory in nature. "Is there a faculty senate on the face of this Earth that runs a university?" he asked.

Gathman said he believes the merit pay issue was "a unique situation.

"I think the administration understands it's not in their best interest to override the Faculty Senate all the time," he said.