Declining enrollment forces budget cuts at Delta State

Six of Mississippi’s eight public universities have skilled enrollment drops over the past 10 years. But, working budgets and state appropriations at these establishments proceed to rise.

Delta State College is taking measures to get its funds so as, however a tuition improve will not be on the desk.

Based on a presentation to the Board of Trustees on the Mississippi Establishments of Larger Studying final month, Delta State was the one public establishment within the state to not request a tuition improve for the approaching yr.

Whereas Delta State is holding tuition at $8,435, all different establishments are rising their charges by a mean of $300. Mississippi College for Girls will see the biggest improve of $400, to a brand new fee of $8,392, which remains to be decrease than Delta State’s. The very best tuition within the state might be $10,272 on the College of Mississippi Medical Heart. These charges don’t embrace charges for scholar actions, capital enhancements, expertise and different related prices.

Declining Enrollment vs. Greater Budgets

Based on enrollment and funds knowledge compiled by IHL, Delta State’s full-time equal enrollment (FTE) has declined by 47 p.c over the past 10 years, going from 3,753 within the 2013 faculty yr to 1,991 within the 2023 faculty yr. The complete-time equal enrollment is a calculation demonstrating the variety of college students attending a college in the event that they have been all full-time college students.

Whereas six of the state’s eight public universities have seen enrollment declines in that very same interval, Delta State’s decline is the very best among the many group.

Nonetheless, spending tendencies haven’t adopted the drops in enrollment at any of the establishments, together with Delta State.

For reference, Delta State’s working funds for the 2014 faculty yr was $67.8 million, $22.6 million of which got here from state appropriations. For the 2023 faculty yr, the college’s working funds rose to $90.9 million, $41.7 million of which was from state appropriations. This represents an working funds improve of 34 p.c and state appropriation will increase of 85 p.c through the 10-year interval.

An analogous pattern may be seen for these universities with declining enrollment. None of Mississippi’s eight public faculties and universities noticed a discount in working budgets or state appropriations as scholar populations declined.

Yr-to-year state appropriations can fluctuate resulting from one-time expenditures.

Why No Tuition Enhance Request

Delta State President Dr. Daniel Ennis stated a tuition improve would have diminished the college’s competitiveness. The college is holding dorm charges stage for the approaching fiscal yr, as properly.

To be able to keep tuition and board, Ennis stated some funds reduce proposals have been despatched to the IHL Board for consideration. The proposed cuts embrace 17 workers positions, however school wouldn’t be affected till low-performing diploma applications are phased out within the coming years.

To that finish, the administration is at present reviewing low-performing diploma applications to find out which of them could have to be dropped, consolidated, or modified.

The proposed modifications are anticipated to be thought of by the IHL Board throughout their June twentieth assembly. Dr. Ennis believes the Board will approve the proposal.

Ennis defined that the applications most probably to be affected are these with single-digit enrollment and people who battle to provide graduates. 

“For me, it definitely is a case the place we checked out the place college students principally are voting with their ft,” Dr. Ennis stated. “What applications are college students going to, and sadly some applications are shedding enchantment to college students.”

Packages which can be anticipated to be impacted might be within the areas of arts and sciences, akin to majors in English, historical past, music and artwork.

“However we’re changing these applications with interdisciplinary levels that can nonetheless cowl these areas. So relatively than having a separate artwork and music diploma, we can have a mixed music and performing arts diploma. As a substitute of getting an English and historical past diploma, we can have a mixed humanities and social sciences diploma,” Ennis elaborated.

Cuts might be made fastidiously to make sure options are nonetheless provided at Delta State, together with instructor licensure diploma paths. 

“We checked out our teaching programs and realized we might nonetheless supply instructor licensures with far fewer diploma applications,” Dr. Ennis stated. “So, when you got here right here to get a instructing license, we’ll nonetheless be capable to try this once we get our new levels in place.”

College students who’ve 60 credit score hours or extra accrued in an affected diploma path will proceed to have the ability to full it. 

“Now we have a teach-out program. You don’t wish to depart our juniors and seniors excessive and dry who’re close to a level,” Ennis stated. “We’re going to help them.”

Freshmen and sophomores will be capable to select from new diploma paths that swimsuit their objectives. If a scholar decides to switch to a different establishment, Delta State personnel will help them with discovering an establishment that meets their wants. However Dr. Ennis is assured Delta State will retain a majority of its college students through the transition.

As soon as the entire proposed school cuts are in place, as applications are phased out within the coming years, Ennis stated the college will save roughly $1.5 million out of $37.8 million payroll over two years. The payroll 10 years in the past was $32.5 million. There’s additionally a proposed reduce to the college’s administration that can present one other $1 million in financial savings. 

“That will get us to a steady funds for Delta State,” Ennis stated.

He added that the aim is to proceed to supply a high quality schooling that meets the wants of budget-conscious households.

The entire proposed changes at Delta State are being made to compensate for the enrollment cliff occurring throughout the state, Dr. Ennis stated.

Even with the speed hikes at most establishments within the state, IHL Senior Affiliate Commissioner of Finance Dr. John Pearce knowledgeable the Board that tuition in Mississippi stays decrease on common than these in neighboring states, besides one. 

“For the primary time in my reminiscence we’ve surpassed Arkansas, however we’re principally on parity with the place Arkansas is at. Our neighboring states, Alabama, Tennessee and Louisiana, proceed to be considerably larger,” Pearce defined.

He added that salaries at larger establishments in Mississippi stay 10 p.c lower than these in neighboring states, regardless of legislative appropriation will increase.

“We’ve gotten a bit of little bit of a rise every year for salaries. However I believe the issue is that the goal retains shifting, so whereas we’re making progress, different states are making progress as properly,” Pearce added.

Time to Take into account Closures?

As beforehand reported, Mississippi Division of Schooling knowledge exhibits Okay-12 enrollment is on the decline within the Magnolia State. Because the 2019-2020 faculty yr, there are almost 30,000 much less college students in Mississippi public faculty school rooms.

Fewer highschool college students means fewer potential school college students.

READ MORE: Can Mississippi Proceed to Help Eight Public Universities?

As a consequence of that enrollment cliff, SB 2726 was launched throughout this yr’s legislative session by State Senator John Polk (R), however it didn’t make it out of committee. The point out of the laws drew backlash from numerous corners of the state.

Had it turn out to be legislation, the invoice would have prompted the IHL Board of Trustees to decide on three of the state’s eight public universities for closure.

Senator Polk informed Magnolia Tribune final week that he plans to introduce related laws for consideration subsequent session. 

“I really feel like we bought to shut a minimum of three to provide the opposite 5 an opportunity,” Polk stated.