Harms06





Public Higher Education In Missouri:


Disturbing Trends

 

In the past 25 years,
public financial support for higher education has declined by one-third, and
students and their families have seen tuition and fees increase to make up the
difference. In Missouri, these trends are more extreme than in most states.
Consider the following facts about Missouri’s public higher education:

 

  • Missouri paid 81.6% of
    students’ educational expenses in 1980 and only 46.0% in 2007. (President
    Nietzel, State of the University address, MSU)


 

  • The percentage of
    Missouri’s budget dedicated to higher education was 16.8% in 1980 and 12.7%
    in 2007. (President Nietzel, State of the University address, MSU)

 

  • In FY2004, the
    national average for state funded tuition aid per FTE was $305,000, while
    Missouri provided $160,000 or 52.5% of the national average. (SHEEO, SHEF
    Report FY2004)


 

  • Tuition at Missouri’s
    public four-year colleges and universities increased 58% between FY2001 and
    FY2006. (Missouri Budget Project)

 

  • Nationally, between
    FY2001 and FY2006, states averaged an increase in appropriations for higher
    education of 9.9%. In Missouri, appropriations declined 10.8% or
    $103.3 million (from $959.4 to $856.1 million) during this same period.
    (Grapevine, Illinois State University)

 

  • Nationally, in FY2006,
    state support for higher education increased 6%, while Missouri’s increase
    was 0.1%. (President Nietzel, State of the University address, MSU)

 

  • Missouri ranks 46th
    among all states in appropriations for higher education. (Grapevine,
    Illinois State University)

 

These facts indicate that
Missouri is falling behind in public support of higher education. Compared to
national averages, or what our surrounding 7 states appropriate, Missouri is
clearly falling behind, as the following table illustrates.

 


Appropriations per $1000 Personal Income & Per
Capita










State

$ Per $1K PI

Rank

$ Per Capita

Rank

IA

8.23

16

262.90

17

KS

8.51

14

274.91

11

AR

9.83

11

263.73

16

OK

8.10

17

235.65

20

IL

5.73

34

204.91

32

KY

10.21

9

289.32

10

TN

6.07

31

188.33

35

MO

4.66

46

147.60

46

(Grapevine, Illinois State
University)

 

Missouri needs an
investment formula for higher education tied to a reliable and adequate revenue
source.

 

 

 

 


Compiled by John B. Harms, Missouri State
University


President, Missouri Conference of American
Association of University Professors


2006