Mississippi State University has been placed in the crossfire of the state’s recent budget woes, where it stands to lose $20 million in budget cuts next year.
In a recent speech, President Charles Lee said the budget cuts would most likely take place unless the state Legislature develops a solution soon.
MSU will not be the only public university in the state to be affected by the budget problems. All eight of the state’s public universities stand to lose money if the Legislature cuts funding to the Institutions of Higher Learning.
Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville, who serves on the Legislative Budget Committee for the House of Representatives, said the projected cuts for the IHL are almost $70 million.
“Our hope and prayers would be if we can substantially reduce that amount,” he added.
Senate Education Committee Chairman Mike Chaney, R-Vicksburg, said the governor was going to make announcements affecting education in his State of the State address last night.
“I think you’ll be surprised,” Chaney said about the governor’s plans for higher education.
Chaney said he believed the governor would honor his campaign promises to help restore the educational system in the state.
“We’ve got our work cut out for us,” Holland said. “It’s not going to be an easy task.”
Holland said the cuts would have a devastating effect on the people of Mississippi. Of the estimated $70 million in cuts to the IHL, $28 million would come from financial aid, affecting scholarships across the state.
Holland said the university presidents would have to decide on the future of certain programs, and whether to cut some programs entirely. The university presidents have already been forced to cut back and streamline their colleges’ processes and have even left certain positions open in an attempt to stay within their budgets.
“We have a wonderful system of higher education in the state of Mississippi,” Holland said. “It’s a shame that budget restrictions are holding it back.”
Holland said that the IHL was not the only agency facing cuts. Instead, several parts of the budget are being forced to trim back.
However, Chaney said he did not think there will be any cuts K-12 education. Chaney also said the legislature was going to give the teachers an 8 percent raise.