Spring Break
Budget may face cutbacks
Lindsay Jacobs
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: University News
Northwest recieved $33,098,924 in state appropriations for the 2008 - 2009 school year. Here is an example of how much Northwest would lose if that amount was to be cut. 5 percent= $1,654,947 10 percent= $3,309,893 15 percent= $4,964,839 |
At the end of last year's congressional session, many were aware the 2010 fiscal year budget would fall short, said Paul Wagner, deputy commissioner for the Missouri Department of Higher Education.
Decisions will be coming that will impact the entire University.
This year, Northwest student tuition accounts for 52 percent of Northwest's budget, and 42 percent is made up of state appropriations, Finance and Support Services Vice President Ray Courter said. The rest of the budget comes from grants and fees, Courter said.
If tuition goes up for next year and state appropriations go down there will be a larger gap.
"It really puts the burden back on the student a great deal when that happens," Courter said.
Missouri is currently ranked 47th when it comes to funding higher education, Wagner said.
"Higher education cannot bear the brunt of cuts," Wagner said.
Wagner predicts many higher education institutions are beginning to plan for possible cuts in state appropriations.
Earlier this week, the University of Missouri system announced it is freezing hiring at its four institutions.
Even though decisions have not been made yet, Northwest may eventually have to implement a plan similar to the University of Missouri's as well as cut back on other things such as travel expenses, Courter said.
"The truth is what they're doing is what we'll end up doing," Courter said.
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