As the entire country faces a rough economy, Mississippi State University has had to do the same with a $40 million budget cut looming on the horizon. After months of brainstorming with a diverse mix of student, staff and faculty representatives, the university had released an efficiency report with recommendations for how MSU should handle the cuts.
Vice President of Finance and Administration Mike McGrevey said MSU is looking for way to be more cost efficient in the hurting economy.
“With tax revenue still declining as a result of the recession, our budget approach has been to build a balanced mix of short and long term ‘budget reduction options’ with a focus on preserving and strengthening excellence throughout all aspects of the university, both today and tomorrow,” he said.
One recommendation is for certain disciplines and departments to merge and realign in an attempt to reduce administrative and support staff expenditures.
The report suggests moving the music and theatre departments to the College of Architecture, Art and Design and merging accounting and finance. A total of nine department merger or realignments are listed in the report.
While mergers can save some disciplines, the report recommends 17 degree programs that do not meet IHL standards for number of degrees awarded should be considered for deletion. Some of those programs include master’s degrees in architecture and biological engineering, and doctoral degrees in secondary education and elementary education.
Outgoing Student Association President Blake Jeter said in order for the university to be compliance with IHL degree standards, a certain quota must be met in each program.
“For example, the IHL board requires that all graduate programs graduate nine students every six years,” he said. “So those programs [listed] are not at this present time meeting the IHL requirements, so we have to decide how to make them compliant or have them phased out.”
It has also been recommended by the committee that IHL approval is sought for a retirement incentive program. According to the report, eligible employees would be offered this program, which in turn would allow financial savings due to staff reduction and provide job opportunities for those who otherwise would be displaced.
The evaluation of tuition allocation and apportionment, or the distribution of funds to different programs based on enrollment, for student services was another suggestion. The report suggests a framework be developed to review tuition allocation that would include flat fees for programs with costs that do not increase with increased enrollment.
The report also recommends the consideration of moving student affairs to academic affairs.
One recommendation that will affect students the most is suggestion No. 58 which suggests a multi-year tuition plan be developed. The IHL has already approved a two-year tuition plan with increases of six percent for the 2011 academic year and 6.3 percent for 2012.
MSU President Mark Keenum said at a faculty meeting the university plans to set aside a portion of the increased tuition revenue to help expand the MSU Promise program. The program provides a tuition guarantee to the lowest income students, when combined with non-loan financial aid.
“Although tuition rates will rise, we will strive to hold harmless our neediest students. We will also continue to expand our scholarship programs as much as we can,” he said. “Ensuring access to MSU for our students remains one of our highest priorities.”
Interim Provost Glenn Steele said he believes the committee has done an outstanding job considering the issues that are involved with improving efficiencies; however, the report is just a list of suggestions.
“The work is just beginning because now we have to take these recommendations and decide how to move forward,” he said.
Steele said MSU’s intent is that these changes will not impact students’ education.
“Whatever we do related to academic programs, nothing will be done to affect the quality of the programs we’re delivering so the students should still have everything they’ve had in the past without any questions,” he said.
McGrevey said the university wants to encourage students, faculty, staff and alumni to become engaged by understanding and contributing to the upcoming decisions.
“Options have been recommended by the President’s Select Committee on Efficiencies and Innovations and will require broad-based participation to study and comment,” he said. “Merging colleges and universities is one of those, and the committee is now soliciting feedback from all campus constituencies.”