By Missouri Public Radio
Columbia, MO. – University of Missouri system president Elson Floyd has warned officials in Jefferson City that more cuts to state education funding could alter the very essence of higher education in this state.
Floyd made his warning in a letter to the state Coordinating Board of Higher Education, after the board asked the state's public universities and colleges to outline how they would deal with possible funding cuts next fall.
The board set a target of possible core reductions at 10 to 12 percent which translates into roughly $100 million statewide.
University of Missouri spokesman Joe Moore says cuts that big would hurt.
At this point, after taking a lot of steps internally to cut back and, unfortunately, having to increase tuition beyond the rate of inflation, any cut of this magnitude would hurt the university badly, Moore said.
Officials in the state office of budget and planning say all state agencies are being asked to report how they would deal with cuts as the state prepares to outline a budget for next fiscal year.
They say proposed funding cuts should become more final next month.