Southeast Missouri State University provides details on potential budget cuts

Southeast Missouri State University officials provided more specifics about the impact of potential budget cuts in a statement prepared for lawmakers this week.

If cuts reach as deep as 25 percent, the university would have to eliminate 38 positions, slash $2.6 million in scholarships, and put maintenance on hold. If worst came to worst, a cap would be placed on enrollment.

"Each of the possible responses to a reduction of this level would have a serious negative impact on the university's ability to carry out its mission, on access to postsecondary education in the Southeast Missouri State University region and on the long-term economic development of communities in Southeast Missouri," University President Dr. Ken Dobbins wrote in a report requested by the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

Fearing a projected $342 million state budget shortfall this year— and potentially an even bigger shortfall next fiscal year— lawmakers asked each public institution or agency to summarize how they would be affected by cuts ranging from 15 percent to 20 percent.

For Southeast, that would translate to the university losing between $6.7 million to $11.1 million from its current general revenue operations appropriation of $44.6 million, Dobbins said in the report.

The first budget to be cut would be maintenance, operations, and equipment, and planned technology upgrades would be put on hold.

Personnel would be next on the chopping block. Depending on the finanical situation, between 24 and 41 staff positions would eliminated, along with up to 40 faculty members.

Next would come a reduction in scholarships, followed by a tuition increase, and then an enrollment cap.

Look for more on this story later on semissourian.com.