Vargas navigates "challenging" COVID-19 year

Speak to Carlos Vargas-Aburto, the 18th president of Southeast Missouri State University, for just a few minutes and variations of the same word pepper his conversation.

Challenging.

Vargas is missing this weekend's commencement ceremonies at the Show Me Center.

The Mexico City native is in quarantine after learning Tuesday he had come into close contact with someone who had tested positive for the coronavirus.

It is perhaps the first time in living memory SEMO's top administrator has missed graduation.

Being sidelined from one of the most high-profile duties of a university president is the cherry on top of an unprecedented COVID year.

"I haven't seen a more challenging time than this one," said Vargas, SEMO president since 2015 and a career educator who has also served in college administrative and teaching roles in Pennsylvania, Ohio and his native Mexico.

"There's nothing in my experience close to it (and) this situation is absolutely unique," he added.

Higher Ed struggles

Vargas was asked about a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, anonymously quoting the president of a small college in Ohio, who told the periodical his institution "makes money on dorms, breaks even on dining and loses money on everything else -- including tuition."

Vargas, who reads CHE, said not all universities are the same.

"This is not the case for us, absolutely not," he said.

"I remain committed to not charging students any more for housing, meals and tuition than is strictly necessary," said Vargas, who pointed out he is the first member of his family of origin to go to college.

"Our (family's) resources were limited and we never even owned a home," he said.

Vargas said he doesn't consider himself the "typical" college president.

"I see myself in every student I see," he continued.

"I know students who live in their cars. It's just really tough (and) it breaks my heart," he added, noting the availability of the Redhawk Food Pantry, established in 2017, to current students and university staff in the lower level of Kent Library.

According to the university's website, the pantry is a "supplemental" service and can be accessed only once every two weeks.

Worries about state retrenchment

SEMO receives 35% of its funding from the State of Missouri and Vargas noted the percentage of support from Jefferson City "has been going down."

Medicaid expansion, approved in the August 4 primary, will also likely further squeeze the funding stream to institutions like SEMO.

"The state budget director told the presidents of Missouri colleges a couple of years ago that higher education is one of the only areas that can be cut when money gets tight," said Vargas.

Legislative perspective

"(Vargas) is correct," said Rep. Kathy Swan (R-147), who has served for six years on the Missouri House Budget Committee, who added the General Assembly's only constitutional requirement is to deliver a balanced budget.

"(Southeast) has not benefited from equitable adjustments," said Swan, who is terming out from the legislature after serving the maximum tenure.

"(SEMO's) enrollment has gone up significantly in recent years but the state's share of funding (to Southeast) hasn't kept pace," she added.

"With all the challenges, sometimes (adversity) is the engine of innovation," Vargas said. "Some of the approaches we've developed to deliver education and (streamline) operations are here to stay."