University faces 'financial emergency'

For the first time in Southeast Missouri State University's history, its board of regents is being asked to declare the school in a financial emergency, and school president Ken Dobbins is calling the current financial state the most difficult position the school has been in during his 11-year tenure.

The university is sending all non-instructional employees letters this week encouraging them to take voluntary unpaid leaves, in addition to their regular paid vacations, this summer. Dobbins said he could know the number of takers by next week.

For employees such as Jane Stough, manager of the training and development office, it means more time to spend with her sister, who will be visiting soon.

"I'm in a stage in my life where I can go without a week's pay," she said. "I'm 56, and my kids are out of the house now. Each individual has their own financial situation to consider."

The regents will meet today to discuss several cuts and more tuition hikes and could vote on a balanced budget. There's little choice in the situation, said board president Don Dickerson.

"I think we have all looked over where we are for the overall picture, and there is very little question we are truly in a financial emergency," Dickerson said.

Formally declaring a state of emergency is a required step before making personnel cuts.

In fiscal 2002, Southeast's state appropriation was reduced by $7.2 million, or approximately 17 percent, due to a state budget shortfall. To balance the university's fiscal 2002 budget and to cope with the last-minute $4 million reduction in May, Southeast used all of its unallocated reserves of $2.9 million and held back $1 million from the 2002 budget that was going to be used to balance the 2003 budget.

Among the actions to be discussed and implemented immediately, if the regents agree, are cuts in operations, equipment, student labor and professional development spending, and numerous other academic program cuts.

In September, the board will evaluate, among other things, the consolidation and reorganization of academic departments, which would result in fewer positions.

Tuition increase

The board will consider an increase of $6 per credit hour, to go into effect in the fall and last at least two years, on all Southeast credit courses except for dual credit and dual enrollment.

This would be in addition to a $17 increase imposed last fall. In addition, students in the nursing and communication disorder departments could be hit with a $250 increase per semester. Those particular departments are being considered because the teacher-to-student ratios are lower.

Cindy Eeftink, a communication disorder department student, said that will mean she'll have to work more hours to pay for her tuition and have less time to spend on her studies in a tough department.

"It's not necessarily fair that, just because we have a low student-to-teacher ratio, we should have to pay extra," she said.

Corey Bolen, also a communication disorder graduate student, said he understands the situation, but that doesn't mean he has to like it.

"There's not too much you can do about it," he said. "You're not going to stop going to school. I understand where they're coming from, but it's never fun to pay more money."

The board will also consider increasing incidental fees for dual credit and enrollment by high school students and fees for courses taken on the Internet and off campus.

Dobbins realizes that the decisions will not be popular.

"What we're going to do, people are not going to like," Dobbins said. "I don't like to do it. But we can't do the same thing we're doing now. We can't afford it."

The regents will meet at 1:30 p.m. in Glenn Auditorium in Robert A. Dempster Hall.

bmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127