MU reacts to proposal restoration to help with budget cuts

Missouri colleges and universities could still face a budget cut, but it might not be as bad as they were thinking.

A new proposal could help restore the money, but there are guidelines to receive the full restoration.

Mizzou told ABC 17 they are grateful for the new proposal, “we’ve been really appreciative of support that we’ve received from legislatures and they have been working so hard to make higher education affordable,” said MU spokesperson, Christian Basi.

The entire UM system, Mizzou included, are working closely with lawmakers.

The House Budget Chairman Scott Fitzpatrick has proposed a plan to indefinitely restore $38 million of the budget cut proposed by Governor Greiten.

However, they plan will fully restore the $68 million, if institutions cap tuition.

Fitzpatrick said he has two goals, “One goal is affordability and higher education. I think Missouri’s been a leader in that, but we want to continue to be a leader in that.”

The money would come from unused funding from the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Columbia Representative Kip Kendrick said it’s a step in the right direction. “Unfortunately, it’s not going to be making the institutions whole, there’s still going to be obviously major cuts that happened last year, that were not going to be able to make up completely. But at least if we can undue what is proposed by the Governor this year.”

Mizzou told ABC 17 that they made 300 position eliminations last year and this year no matter what will be hard financially.

The Committee will vote next week on the proposal.