So..public colleges in Texas are a "Non-Essential" service

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2010/11/23/news/doc4cec662c41efa851489270.txt

(Texas LOVES it's next generation...but keep them taxes low,y'all)

MIDLOTHIAN — The projected $25 billion state deficit for 2011-13 is expected to have a significant impact on funding for higher education. Navarro College board of trustees district president Dr. Richard Sanchez made a presentation before the board last week outlining the financial implications for Navarro College, which has been directed to return 5 percent of state appropriation for 2009-2011 amounting to about $1,503,358.

“Two days ago we received information saying that the Lt. Governor and the Speaker of the House are asking state agencies to expect another 2 to 3 percent reduction,” Sanchez said. “An additional 3 percent for Navarro College would be approximately $902,000 — almost another million dollars. This is something we had not anticipated, but it is going to happen.”

He said basically for the biennium Navarro will be returning $2,405,373.

“Last year we had a very good year end and we set $800,000 aside to be able to apply toward the deficit in 2011-13. What we are going to have to do now is take that $800,000 we have in this current budget and apply it toward the additional 3 percent. We will be about $100,000 short but I guess we will find it somewhere in the budget,” Sanchez said. “You will recall my prediction was ‘I hope they don’t ask us for more money.’”

Sanchez said the Lt. Governor indicated they would be taking money from non-essential services to cover the state deficit.

“Higher education can be classified as a non-essential service,” he said. “For 2011-2013 we have been informed to expect 10 percent less in our state appropriations. Basically that means we will have approximately $2,766,178 million withdrawn or withheld from our budget in this coming biennium.”

He said for 2009-2011 and 2011-2013 Navarro College will return $5,171,551. With projected enrollment for fall 2012 at 11,500, Navarro will be serving and additional 3,300 students with appropriations based on 8,200 students.

Sanchez listed possible options to prepare for appropriation reductions as increasing tuition and fees, reducing budgeted items, implementing a hiring freeze and reviewing vacated positions. He has created a Cost Efficiency Committee to be chaired by Dr. Harold Nolte to consider possible options.

[bluestateguy]

1. I wonder too

If many schools might respond to the budget ax--in addition to the remedies mentioned above--by simply lowering their admission standards and admitting more underqualified students, just to bring in more revenue (tuition paying students) .

[w8liftinglady]

2. in my area...the majority are student loans,anyway...it sucks.

texas state tuition ain't what it used to be...and families are having a harder time sending their kids to college.(my kid goes to Navarro...it is a 2 year college,and is still way too expensive)

[drmeow]

3. Of course they are

non-essential services. Public colleges result in an educated population capable of critical thinking. That is the LAST thing that those in power want. They are so far from essential that the goal is their destruction!