Gov. Jay Nixon proposes a possible 7 percent reduction for fiscal year 2012
By: Patrick Olds
-Opinions Editor-
On Jan. 19, following a budget decrease for the fiscal year 2011 for Missouri state schools, 5 percent of which resulted in the consolidation of STLCC athletic teams.
Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon proposed in his State of the State Address that there may be a 7 percent reduction for fiscal year 2012.
Although early in the process for the state budget, Carla Chance, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Budget for STLCC, has recommended cuts that span across departments including Human Resources, Technology and Educational Support Services, Continuing Education, Internal Audit, the STLCC Foundation, Purchasing and Maintenance/HVAC and further consolidation of STLCC athletic teams.
“It’s a challenging time for higher education in Missouri, in particular the community colleges. We are looking at record enrollment at a time when state aid is declining,” Chance said. “That requires us to focus on our very highest priorities when we invest our resources.”
Chance said the proposed budget is not official.
“It’s very early in the process on the 7 percent reduction. Congress is holding hearings and a lot has to do with the April 15 tax collection. They will look at the receipts and decide whether they [the government] get what they projected. On May 13, there has to be a budget – our 7 percent could very well change,” Chance said.
Scott Holstey, spokesman for Gov. Nixon, said that Nixon is a supporter of community colleges and has proposed ideas that could bring additional money back into schools.
“The governor believes strongly in our community colleges. He not only believes that but has backed it up.” Holstey added, “While an overall budget cut is being proposed, Gov. Nixon has added $8 million for the A+ Program which brings the total to $30.4 million for the entire state.”
Most of the representatives and senators will not have direct influence in crafting the budget, according to Shawn Furry, Chief of Staff for Republican Missouri state Sen. Eric Schmitt of District 15, said that education is a priority for Schmitt.
“Sadly, because Sen. Schmitt is not on the appropriations committee, he does not have much influence other than to make his priorities known to that committee. Sen. Schmitt has education very high on his priority list; it’s within his top three choices,” Furry said.
During the country’s current recession, many states have been forced to cut state budgets dramatically in order to reach a zero balance at the end of each fiscal year. This is different from the federal government, which has the ability to raise the debt ceiling in order to go past a zero sum balance for any fiscal year.
Tadesse Wodajo, Ph.D, professor of economics at STLCC-Meramec, said that the state governments cannot postpone deficits.
“The federal government can postpone deficits but state governments don’t have the power to postpone their deficits,” Wodajo said. “Policy has two possible outcomes, intended and unintended. You have to measure both. Sometimes when you raise taxes the unintended consequences could be lower revenue because companies could decide not to employ or even move to different states entirely,” Wodajo said.
Furry said if the government is going to lower their spending, education is one of the programs that will be cut.
“Everything has to be reduced when times are tough. Hopefully when we get through this, we will better handle our money so students are not adversely affected,” Furry said.
STLCC has decisions to make regarding cuts within the system but their faculty will not be forced to resign or retire early. Any faculty position that is vacant will be filled by next year. Forty positions will be affected, according to Chance, which could include coaches for the several athletic teams operating under STLCC.
“…The proposed cuts with athletics are oriented towards the business operation and not the campuses,” Chance said. “There is a very low overall student participation in our sports programs . Only about 300 [students] out of [approximately] 30,000 participate in athletics.”
The effects of the consolidation of athletic teams at STLCC could have impacts beyond what is seen in budget reports.
“College athletes are representatives of their schools. They represent the entire body of students wherever they play with the name on their jerseys,” Assistant Basketball Coach at Meramec Ken Libby said. “Why reinvent the wheel, when the wheel is built? If we can improve on it, that’s a different situation but the name value of Meramec will take a hit.”
