Politics

Mo. Lawmakers Want Performance To Play Role In Higher Ed. Funding While Nixon Reverses $8.5M In Cuts

St. Louis Public Radio | By Marshall Griffin,

Marshall Griffin, The Associated Press (394), Kelsey Proud

Published February 4, 2013 at 3:05 PM CST

Updated at 6:03 p.m. to include details on a House-Sen. joint committee's proposal to use performance-based criteria in a new Higher Ed. funding formula.

A joint House-Senate panel is recommending performance play a role in how much money Missouri’s colleges and universities get from the state each year.

Panel members on Monday released a proposed Higher Education funding formula, which would include performance measurement in such things as student enrollment/retention, the number of research programs at an institution, and public service to the surrounding community or state. State Senator David Pearce (R, Warrensburg) chairs the Joint Committee on Education.

“Will it generate interest? You bet," Pearce said. "But at the end of the day we can’t just look at one line item for one individual institution, we have to look at it as it effects the entire state – and so that’s one thing that we’re gonna try to work through this legislative process.”

Public comments on the proposal will be accepted through next Monday, February 11th.

Meanwhile, Governor Jay Nixon (D) has announced that he’s reversed almost all of the $9 million he cut from Higher Education last year when he signed the current state budget into law. He told reporters at his office today that state revenues had improved enough for him to release nearly $8.5 million that’s been withheld from Missouri’s colleges and universities since July first.

(Specifics of those distributions can be found here, by institution).

He also released several hundred thousand dollars that had been withheld from foster care programs, child-care subsidies and the State Historical Society of Missouri.

The governor had placed spending restrictions on about $15 million of items in the state's $24 billion operating budget when he signed it last June.

After Monday's decisions, Nixon still has a block on nearly $6 million of spending. The governor says he's waiting to see if tax revenues continue to improve before making a decision on those other items.

Revenuesare up 9.5 percent so far this fiscal year.

Follow St. Louis Public Radio on Twitter:@stlpublicradio

Politics

Marshall Griffin

Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.

See stories by Marshall Griffin

Marshall Griffin

St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.

The Associated Press (394)

See stories by The Associated Press (394)

Kelsey Proud

Kelsey Proud is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, where she earned a Convergence (Multimedia) Journalism degree. She has worked at PBS Interactive in Washington, D.C., MSN UK News in London and is a social media enthusiast. Kelsey feels journalism is truly a public service and hopes her work enhances community and reaches those who need information most. Though she's "from" Chicago, Kelsey has also lived in several different regions of the United States, including periods of time in North Carolina, Ohio, New Mexico and Illinois. Her extended family has roots in Boone and Audrain counties in Missouri, too. She is a wannabe chef and globe trekker, former competitive golfer and band-ie (trumpet), and honorary Missourian.

See stories by Kelsey Proud