Gov. Haley Barbour’s 2011 budget is anticipated to call for further cuts to education – and even closer to home, a recommendation for Mississippi University for Women to be merged with Mississippi State University.
Rumors surfaced earlier this week when Barbour deflected questions about a possible merger during a teleconference from Iraq, and legislators from North Mississippi who are knowledgeable of the governor’s budget plans said the merger will almost certainly be included.
In the past, Barbour moved to cut education funds first in attempts to trim the fat and has brought up the issue of school consolidation before in previous budgets, but prior attempts to merge have been quashed in the Miss. Legislature.
Miss. Institutions of Higher Learning Commissioner Hank Bounds reiterated this fact and said the board is taking the possibility of less revenue and additional cuts very seriously. Even though the issue of consolidation has been a topic for several years, the tough economic times might increase the discussion in favor of it.
“Consolidation has been talked about every year I have been in education,” Bounds said. “This takes legislative action, so we will have to wait until the session begins to see what happens.”
Bounds said absorbing more cuts this year will likely mean losing some people and programs at some universities.
It is possible the proposed merger will save the struggling MUW and lessen the sting of budget shortfalls here at state, but not everyone in the legislature is convinced. Rep. Cecil Brown (D-Hinds), chairman of the House Education Committee, said he’s heard a lot of the discussion about this and is not convinced it is a good thing.
“We’re going to have to prove that it’s going to be good financially and for our universities’ educational standards,” Brown said. “We’re going to have to do some real soul searching and realize that there are going to be some pretty tough actions taken in the coming months.”
Brown said some of the unpleasant decisions may take the form of losing programs or personnel due to the rocky economy.
Rep. Kelvin Buck (D-Benton, Marshall), chairman of the House Universities and Colleagues Committee, said he has been in meetings discussing the cuts and the idea of consolidations.
“In my honest opinion, it’s not a good idea. I don’t think a merger would be a good thing right now,” Buck said. “With the current economic climate, we can’t afford to be shortsighted.”
Buck said he feels the possible merger between MUW and MSU might diminish access or limit the opportunity for some students to go to either university.
“Quite frankly, I feel it’s a little narrow-minded,” Buck said, referring to both the cuts and possible merger. “All of the research shows that putting money into education creates more self-sufficient and productive citizens. Meaning, eventually more tax dollars in the long run.”
Robert Wolverton Sr., former MSU Faculty Senate President, said the issue is to maintain the current educational standards in the face of coming cuts.
“If [MSU and MUW] were to come together, we probably would not have to have our three percent budget cut,” Wolverton said. “The governor has talked about a 5 percent cut in 2010 and another 10 percent cut in 2011, so that’s almost 20 percent in total in the next three years.”
Wolverton said the only way to get through budget setbacks is to start cutting people or programs, and the possible merger could at least stave off some of the more dramatic effects of the cuts for the time being.
“I think the faculty is generally comfortable with the idea,” Wolverton said. “I just think it would be a question of who the departments [at the different universities] would sync up.”
Karsen Krauss, an undeclared sophomore, said he was all right with the idea as well.
“As long as there’s some significant increase in funds or it’s going to seriously prevent further budget cuts, then I can’t see it as being a big deal,” Krauss said.
Keenum said he will not be involved in the decision process of the possible merger.
“Issues relating to possible closures or mergers would come under the purview of the IHL and the Mississippi Legislature,” Keenum said.