As of April 7, the estimated amount of state funding that Metro State stands to lose is $32.4 million.

As introduced, the Long Bill, which is the overall state budget bill that is sent to the governor, would mean a $32.4 million reduction in Metro State’s budget for fiscal year 2009-10. This equates to a 65 percent decrease in the funding appropriated for the College last year.

President Stephen Jordan, the College’s trustees, and alumni and foundation board members are working to educate legislators on the impact that a reduction of this size would mean. The Capstone Group, Metro State’s lobbyist, is meeting with legislators and distributing an impact statement to them. Some figures from that impact statement are included in a ColoradoSenateNews.com e-Alert sent April 7. (ColoradoSenateNews.com is an online publication of the Colorado Senate Minority Office). The article, “Senate GOP: Deep cuts to higher ed unacceptable” reports that GOP senators are asking their colleagues to re-examine the entire budget. (To read, go to http://www.coloradosenatenews.com/content/view/995/26/.)

In addition, Jordan and the presidents of the other state colleges and universities will be meeting with Gov. Ritter the afternoon of April 13. And Jordan is meeting with the Faculty Senate today during the regularly scheduled meeting at 4 p.m. in TIV 320.

The impact on Metro State
To put the impact of such a massive reduction in perspective, not since 1978-79 has Metro State been funded at such a low level. If the $32.4 million stands, the College would receive $1,085 per student; 30 years ago, the per-student funding was $1,160. Last year, the College received $2,900 per student.

Obviously, such a drastic cut requires that the College’s leaders look at numerous options as ways to handle the reduction. Jordan and the College administration are in ongoing discussions and devising various models using different combinations of those options.

“The Tier I, II and III cuts I announced earlier are foregone conclusions unless the Tier II and III reductions can be offset by one-time appropriations that the legislature might find,” Jordan says. “So now we’re looking at additional alternatives such as capping enrollment, increasing tuition, and/or reductions in academic and nonacademic programs.

“However, please keep in mind that nothing is set in stone yet as far as the legislation goes,” Jordan continues. “There will continue to be battles in the legislature for the next two to three weeks. In the meantime, we must go forward with planning how the College can meet its fiscal responsibility, while still serving as many students as possible.”

For more information or to submit questions or comments about the budget crisis, go to www.mscd.edu/president/higheredfunding.