On Feb. 3, 2015, President Clif Smart testified to the House Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations – Higher Education Committee.
Report summary
The value proposition involves two ingredients: quality and affordability. Evaluating Missouri State’s quality and affordability, Missouri State undoubtedly provides an extremely high value to its students and to the state of Missouri.
Missouri State takes pride in being the value option for higher education in the state of Missouri. But our student body has grown significantly and state appropriations have shrunk significantly. To continue providing quality education, the university has found creative ways to increase revenues through other sources, including enrollment growth (which results in increase gross receipts of tuition and fees, but also increased expenses), private support, student fees, and increased international student enrollment.
This situation is not sustainable. Unless public funding for the University changes in the near future, the University will have to make decisions that impact value through a reduction in quality or affordability. The consequences for the state’s workforce will be felt for decades to come. Accordingly, Missouri State respectfully requests that the state implement a strategy to increase operating funding for Missouri State University year-over-year.
You need Adobe Reader to access the report.