Governor proposes plan to avoid tuition hikes
Gov. Jay Nixon addresses a crowd at the Reynolds Alumni Center on the MU campus. Photo by Shane Epping.
In his first visit to campus since being sworn in to the state’s highest office, MU alumnus Gov. Jay Nixon announced a plan to retain state funding for higher education and avoid tuition hikes in the near future.
The governor has proposed keeping fiscal year 2010 appropriations for state universities at 2009 levels if, in exchange, those higher-education institutions agree not to increase tuition.
“The future … is having the best workforce in America. The only way to have that is to have the educational institutions that provide those competitive minds with the ability to get competitive jobs,” Nixon said. “We just cannot cut the seed corn. We have to harvest it.”
Joining Nixon in making the announcement in the Reynolds Alumni Center, University of Missouri System President Gary Forsee said the plan, which bucks a national trend toward tuition hikes, has the UM System’s full support.
The agreement is subject to review by the Missouri General Assembly.
Missouri Students Association President Jim Kelley thanked the officials for their efforts to ensure the “accessibility and affordability” of higher education.
“Our future as students is not an expense but an investment,” Kelley said.
Because the state faces a budget shortfall, other areas of spending will have to “lean up,” Nixon said. The governor plans to present a full budget plan next Tuesday, Jan. 27.
Our faculty members generously make it possible for students to attend professional meetings by using some their grant dollars to pay for transportation and lodging. These students benefit not only from professional presentations, networking for positions and enabling them to participate as professionals in the future. The new travel rules for cost cutting eliminate the opportunity for our students to participate in professional association meetings.
Leslie J. Palmer | Jan.21, 2009
I feel Gov. Nixon’s proposal demonstrates how our state government, the university and its students are working together to ensure there are future graduates from MU. Unfortunately, funds must be cut in some areas for the university to properly function. To L. Palmer, I say it is disheartening to see students not getting the same opportunities as before the travel funds were cut. But at the same time, there are similar opportunities closer to home, or the students could pay for the travel themselves. As a student here at Mizzou, I understand the financial burden, but I also understand the situation of the university and I applaud them for their efforts to ensure I will be able to afford to graduate!
Kimberly Miller | Jan.22, 2009
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