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Hit or Miss

One University of Missouri campus could close. The budget crisis for Missouri higher education keeps getting worse and worse: “If even more severe reductions (in state funding) occur, consideration should be given to closing smaller, more expensive institutions.” Which would fit exactly the profile of Truman. For a while now we’ve been the darling of the appropriations committee, getting far more than our fair share from the state to fund our “highly selective, liberal arts curriculum.” [stuffed dog]

4 responses so far (Respond)

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In light of the fact that there are several (30+?) institutions of higher learning in the state of MO, and given the reality that many of them are not only smaller than TSU, but both indistinguishable from one another and practically useless, I do not think that Truman is in any danger of being shut down. It is however reasonable to assume that we will endure further tuition hikes, budget cuts and salary freezes. Perhaps I am just being overly optimistic, but I do not feel you or I need to worry about the survival of this school in the near future.

Andy | 11 Jun 2002
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But how many of those 30+ colleges and universities are public? Not counting the community college system, I think the speaker quoted above was talking about the main state systems — which would include the different University of Missouri campuses and the compass campuses (Northwest, etc). I would hate to see any of them closed down, least of all Truman. But for each campus to have to face greater and greater budget cuts each year is also terrible.

Matt | 11 Jun 2002
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“Higher Education commissioner Kala Stroup said none of Missouri’s 32 publicly funded colleges or universities are on the verge of shutting down.”

I had assumed that statistic had excluded community colleges. As I glanced through a list of colleges in the state of MO, it caught my attention that I was probably wrong. Still, MO could strip community colleges of their funding (its been done in IA) Additionally, I think there are plenty of other state schools in MO that serve as better targets (Lincoln U is a glaring target, especially after it lost its status as a historically black university, Missouri Southern State, Missouri Western, Northwest MO state, Southeast MO state U since it is not only small, but regarded as a regional embarassment). You probably understand the situation better than I do…I just dont think its logical to feel that after a decade of being overfunded, Truman will suddenly be shut down before it is fully stripped of its budget. I also agree that its a travesty that prices are rising, but that is the price MO pays for being backwards, anti-tax and pro state spending. In all fairness, education here is cheaper than in most states…the out of state tuition is nearly identical to the in-state cost of The University of IA, and (notably) CHEAPER than the university of illinois at urbanna’s in state cost. I think we could all live with a moderate tuition hike, given the already low rates we pay. Don’t get me wrong, I dont want it to happen, but there are worse options.

Andy | 11 Jun 2002
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chiropractic…

chiropractic…

chiropractic | 31 May 2006