Mississippi State will maintain its momentum toward university priorities next year despite a reduction in state-appropriated operating funds, said President Malcolm Portera.
Internal reallocations and a hold on filling vacant non-faculty positions, combined with a $50 per semester tuition increase earmarked for library and technology improvements, will provide for continued progress.
Non-faculty positions are not being filled and no new positions will be created unless an exception is determined by the president to be necessary. Exceptions will be rare, Portera said. Funding for vacant positions will be transferred to a central pool for permanent reallocation beginning in January 2001.
Departments will absorb most vacancies by reassigning duties to other staff. When positions must be filled, that will be accomplished when possible by transfers from other units where needs may not be as great.
The plan will support a long-range goal of moving toward fewer but better-paid non faculty employees while increasing the number of teaching faculty.
Funding priorities for the coming fiscal year include a $1 million increase in the library budget that will be covered by a student fee increase at all state universities approved by the Board of Trustees.
The increase will help the library maintain its momentum toward becoming the state's first member of the Association of Research Libraries. Over the past two years, the library's budget has grown from $6 million to $8 million, allowing for expanded hours, more staff, more online databases, and increases in books and journals.
Portera cautioned that MSU also must prepare for a possible mid-year cut in state appropriations next fall if state revenue collections continue to trail projections. Funds captured by leaving positions vacant could help offset such a cut.
Other priorities could be funded starting in January 2001 if finances permit. If internal reallocation generates enough money and the university escapes a mid-year budget cut, academic operating budgets could be increased and graduate assistant stipends could increase by 10 percent.
Also, if finances will permit and the Board of Trustees gives permission, implementation of a consultant's recommended employee classification plan could begin in January. An emphasis of that plan would be on increasing salaries of employee groups, including clerical staff, farthest below market area pay rates. Board of Trustees approval would be required as a current directive prohibits salary increases for 2000-01 except for faculty promotions or completing a degree program.
Internal reallocation will occur annually in the future, Portera said. "We can keep on taking hits and let our situation erode, or we can take the initiative in reallocating funds to maintain progress," he said. "We are determined to not lose our momentum."
Earlier this spring, it appeared that MSU would face a $3.5 million decrease in state funds for 2000-2001. But the Legislature provided an equity funding adjustment for the larger universities to bring them more in line with regional peer institutions. That meant $2 million for MSU, partially offsetting a reduction in other state funds.
The Legislature also authorized a bond bill including $5.2 million for MSU and another $3.9 million for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine.
