Students will have to pay more this fall to get a college education in Mississippi.
The state College Board on Monday approved multiyear tuition increases at Mississippi”s eight public universities, saying the move is one of many measures in the face of budget cuts.
The tuition hikes range from 4.5 percent for in-state students at Mississippi Valley State University to 9 percent at Jackson State University and Delta State University. Tuition also increased for nonresident students at all universities except the University of Southern Mississippi.
Currently, the lowest tuition for in-state students is $4,423 at Mississippi University for Women. The tuition at MUW will rise to $4,644 next fall. In fall 2011, that tuition will increase to $4,876.
At Mississippi State University, the school with the state”s largest enrollment, tuition will increase from $5,151 to $5,461 next fall. The tuition will increase to $5,805 the next year.
The universities presented to the College Board last week business plans that included tuition increase requests for fiscal years 2011 and 2012. College leaders also have plans to scale back programs and eliminate some jobs.
MUW”s tuition hikes equal five percent increases in 2011 and 2012. Nora Miller, vice president for finance and administration, said the school wanted to cap the increases.
“We felt uncomfortable going above five percent. Over five percent might be the tipping point and we might lose some enrollment,” she said. “That”s up less than $20 per month. With the cost of everything going up, that seemed like a reasonable amount.”
Miller estimates the tuition increase will make up for 27 percent of cuts in state funding next year. Seventy percent will be made up in cutting jobs and services and three percent in efficiencies. Roughly 10 percent of MUW”s workforce could be cut over the next two years.
“It is our hope that what was approved today is a worst-case scenario; if we do not see cuts this deep, we can reduce the increases,” Higher Education Commissioner Hank Bounds said in a statement on Monday. “The board and our universities remain committed to ensuring higher education is affordable in Mississippi and that our degree programs are of the highest quality.”
Gov. Haley Barbour has been slashing what had been a $6 billion spending plan for the state after revenue collections failed to meet projections this fiscal year. Nearly all state programs have been cut, including the universities. Since July, Barbour has cut $437 million from the overall state budget.
Barbour and legislators have said the recession”s impact on Mississippi is expected to linger. Bounds said he expects the universities” budgets to be reduced by at least $182.5 million through fiscal year 2013, based on budget cuts and the loss of federal stimulus money.
Senate Universities and Colleges Committee Chairman Doug Davis, R-Hernando, said the increases aren”t surprising.
“The College Board is acting as other state agencies are doing. They”re trying to find a revenue stream and they”re doing it in a manner that”s not punitive to the university system,” Davis said.
Average tuition in the state will go from $4,782 to $5,459 by fall 2011.
“The tuition levels in the state of Mississippi at all institutions continue to be an exceptional bargain compared to all the states across the Southeast,” said Bill Kibler, vice president of student affairs at MSU. “However, we realize and are very cognizant of the fact that anytime we raise tuition, that has a potential impact on access.”
Kibler said a portion of MSU”s tuition increase will go toward the Mississippi State Promise Program, which benefits students who come from homes with an annual income of $30,000 or less.
He said the program applies all non-loan financial aid to those students, and the educational institution makes up the difference in tuition costs.
The average award is about $1,000 per student, Kibler said.
The budget cuts will translate to a loss of staff, programs, degrees, courses and, in some cases, entire colleges at each school. MUW”s submitted business plan includes the loss of 29 jobs, five degree offerings, 15 courses and 36 sections starting this year and extending through 2012.
MSU is scheduled to eliminate 110 positions, 10 degrees, 225 courses, 125 sections, one college and one department.
Dr. Glenn Steele, interim provost for MSU, says the numbers represent anticipated losses and no concrete decisions have been made beyond those that took effect this year.
“The recommendations were developed by a faculty committee and they”re not completely finished,” he said.
Steele says the Special Committee on Efficiencies and Innovations appointed by MSU President Dr. Mark Keenum will continue gathering data to determine which jobs, programs and departments to cut. To avoid layoffs, MSU is seeking approval from the IHL board for a retirement incentive package that would allow some employees to leave voluntarily.
Miller says MUW hopes to avoid some cuts via $350,000 per year savings in energy efficiencies.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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