Western has received a $1.1 million budget increase from the state of Missouri for the 2008 fiscal year.
This 5.5 percent increase from last year’s state funding brings the total state funding to $21.2 million minus the three percent for the Governor’s Reserve. This increase will be reflected in the general pool of operating expenses of the university.
Western recieves its remaining funds from tuition, fees, and the Missouri Western State University Foundation for a total budget of 46.2 million.
This is the first year of a three-year plan. Due to cuts in 2001, this will bring the university’s state funding close to the 2002 level. This budget increase will have no bearing on tuition, fees, or foundation money.
In 2007, Governor Blunt recommended a 4.3 percent increase in funding for Missouri’s public colleges and universities. Western was granted a larger increase than other institutions.
Ron Olinger, Vice-President of Financial Planning, is happy to see this increase.
“We have been lobbying, if you will, in presenting our case to the state legislature and the governor,” Olinger said.
In order to be granted this money, Western must request the amount of public state funding they want and state how it will be used. The Coordinating Board of Higher Education then makes a recommendation to the governor and his staff. Then it goes to the General Assembly. By May the house and senate will pass a budget with the dollar amount.
Beth Wheeler, Director of External Relations, feels President Scanlon did a good job of representing Western to the legislature.
“He made the case very well for Western. For a long time Western has received less per full time equivalent student than some of the other universites. That appealed to their sense of fairness and not fairness,” Wheeler said.
Jeanie Crain, Special Assistant to the President, also feels President Scanlon was a strong leader in this process.
“What is remarkable is Dr. Scanlon’s steady direction and guidance over austere funding during his tenure and his protection of full time continuing employees and of existing programs. Under his guidance Western has continued to increase student scholarships and to hold tuition steady or to increase it only modestly,” Crain said.