By STEVEN SPEARS
Managing Editor
(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — The recent cuts to the University of Central Missouri’s state funding will increase in fiscal year 2018.
After announcing $146.4 million in state funding withholds for institutions of higher education in the current fiscal year, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens recently released his state budget proposal for fiscal year 2018, which makes more than $572 million in reductions.
Greitens announced $159 million in planned cuts to core funding from public, two-year and four-year institutions in the state. UCM will receive $5.36 million less in state appropriations next fiscal year, according to a Missouri Department of Higher Education financial summary. This marks a 9 percent year-to-year decrease in core funds for the university. The previous cut resulted in UCM receiving $4.1 million less in state funding.
The proposed 2018 budget still has to be reviewed and approved by the Missouri General Assembly.
Greitens wrote a letter addressed to the citizens of Missouri Thursday, Feb. 2, saying the Missouri budget is broken due to low tax revenue, special interest tax credits and the cost of health care stemming from the Affordable Care Act.
“We must come together, tighten our belts, be smart and wise with our tax dollars, and work our way out of this hole by bringing more jobs with higher pay to the people of Missouri,” Greitens said in the letter. “Hard decisions have to be made, and we won’t run from them.”
UCM President Chuck Ambrose sent an email to all university employees to address the withholds. He said the previously announced spending changes are still in effect. This includes the hiring freeze and facility project freeze.