By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Missouri Western State University President Matt Wilson insists the St. Joseph campus will grow, not shrink, after implementing $6 million in budget cuts.
Wilson says the university is “right sizing,” and will be poised to invest and grow after cutting programs which aren’t attracting very many students.
“Been a lot of focus I think in the press on, well geez, you know the university is contracting, but really we’re just repivoting and positioning ourselves to overcome some major financial struggles,” Wilson tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.
Wilson says Missouri Western remains a vibrant university with a lot to offer students. He says it just no longer will try to be everything to everybody.
Wilson adds there is no reason to place blame. Wilson says it’s useless to look back and point fingers.
“That’s one of the things that people are struggling (with) right now is where do you point the finger? Where does the blame lie? As I have told folks, that doesn’t do anyone any good,” Wilson says. “But, at the same time, you can learn from history.”
Wilson says Missouri Western faced a $3.2 million annual budget deficit before the Board of Governors approved the budget cuts. The university is cutting programs which attract few students, but Wilson says it will be expanding into more popular programs.
Missouri Western is not alone in facing financial trouble, according to Wilson, who says colleges have been hesitant to discuss financial problems, because no college administrator wants to admit the campus is in trouble.
“One of the changes that you’re going to see in higher ed, in fact you’re seeing it right now across the country, is universities finally talking about the fact that they’re under financial distress and that they need to, together with the communities that they are in, come up with a solution,” according to Wilson.
Wilson says colleges face declining enrollment combined with declining state support.