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East Central College is facing potential cuts of more than $600,000 in state funding if the budget proposed by Gov. Jay Nixon for fiscal year 2013 is upheld by legislators in May, according to a press release issued by the college Tuesday.
“This would be our third year of cuts and each year they have been progressively worse,” noted Dr. Ed Jackson, ECC’s president. “In 2011 our state aid was reduced 5.2 percent, and this year we saw a 7 percent reduction,” Jackson said. “If the cuts proposed by Gov. Nixon are approved, our total reduction will amount to $1.3 million over three years. We would be receiving the same level of support from the state as we did in 1997.”
Jackson mentioned that part of the reason the budget for next year is uncertain is due to the fact that American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) money will not be a factor.
Dr. Jon Bauer, vice president of finance and administration, stated that the college has already started working on the budget for the 2013 fiscal year that begins July 1. “We will look at cutting expenses wherever possible, and unfortunately we’ll need to look at combining those cuts with an increase in tuition,” Bauer said. “Additional cuts will affect the quality in instruction and services that we can provide to our students.”
“For several years, tuition at ECC has been the lowest in the state,” noted Bauer. “We want to continue to be among the most affordable institutions in Missouri.”
This year ECC has a budget of almost $18.4 million. State aid accounts for 27 percent of revenue. More than 32 percent comes from local sales tax revenue and student tuition and fees account for almost 39 percent of the money coming into the college.
East Central College is facing potential cuts of more than $600,000 in state funding if the budget proposed by Gov. Jay Nixon for fiscal year 2013 is upheld by legislators in May, according to a press release issued by the college Tuesday.
“This would be our third year of cuts and each year they have been progressively worse,” noted Dr. Ed Jackson, ECC’s president. “In 2011 our state aid was reduced 5.2 percent, and this year we saw a 7 percent reduction,” Jackson said. “If the cuts proposed by Gov. Nixon are approved, our total reduction will amount to $1.3 million over three years. We would be receiving the same level of support from the state as we did in 1997.”
Jackson mentioned that part of the reason the budget for next year is uncertain is due to the fact that American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) money will not be a factor.
Dr. Jon Bauer, vice president of finance and administration, stated that the college has already started working on the budget for the 2013 fiscal year that begins July 1. “We will look at cutting expenses wherever possible, and unfortunately we’ll need to look at combining those cuts with an increase in tuition,” Bauer said. “Additional cuts will affect the quality in instruction and services that we can provide to our students.”
“For several years, tuition at ECC has been the lowest in the state,” noted Bauer. “We want to continue to be among the most affordable institutions in Missouri.”
This year ECC has a budget of almost $18.4 million. State aid accounts for 27 percent of revenue. More than 32 percent comes from local sales tax revenue and student tuition and fees account for almost 39 percent of the money coming into the college.
