| Student coalition says MTSU a school, not a business |
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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
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Posted: Sunday, December 28, 2008 7:56 am
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The future of higher education in Tennessee hangs in the balance this year as the state cut its budget, prompting some students to say: It’s a school, not a business.
“We understand cuts are necessary because of the budget crisis,” said MTSU junior Mike Cannon from the Coalition to Save Our Schools, “but Gov. (Phil) Bredesen and the state needs to reconsider the cuts … It (higher education) should be one of the priorities in any state.”
In November, MTSU President Sidney McPhee said he expects the university will have to cut a total of $20 million to $22 million from its $345 million budget before 2010.
The cuts include an expected $10 million to $12 million decrease in state funding in the next academic year. These cuts are on top of the university losing more than $6 million in state funding over the summer with another $4 million in October.
In order to close the budget gap, TBR Chancellor Charles Manning has proposed a “new business model” for all state universities and colleges, while McPhee has started the “Positioning the University for the Future” initiative.
Manning’s proposal specifically has gotten a less than welcome response from the university community, prompting some MTSU students to band together and form the Coalition to Save Our Schools.
Manning proposed changing the entire university culture by encouraging more students to take online courses, eliminate or consolidate low-performing programs, eliminate duplicate programs at multiple universities, reevaluate athletic programs and in general increase productivity.
In response to Manning’s proposal, rumors swirled about MTSU going online completely, prompting McPhee to send out an e-mail to calm fears.
But the Coalition to Save Our Schools (www.saveourschoolslive.org) still fears Manning’s proposal will turn MTSU and other TBR schools into “degree mills,” Cannon said.
“If you’re just churning out degrees, you’re not getting a quality education,” he said.
“We formed this coalition of students and faculty to preserve education in Tennessee. We think if this model goes through it will be bad for TBR schools,” Cannon continued.
Manning also asked the TBR to close the funding gap by removing the tuition cap at 12 credit hours, meaning all students whether part time or full time, will have to pay on a per credit hour basis.
The “new business model” didn’t pass muster at TBR’s December meeting earlier this month but the tuition cap did.
“It’s just a hidden tuition increase in addition to the actual tuition increase that goes into effect in the fall,” Cannon said.
Both Manning and McPhee defend the removal of the tuition cap by arguing it will reduce “course shopping,” where students sign up for more classes than needed with the intention of dropping a class or two early in the semester.
“That (reason) is indicative of the fact that TBR has been deceptive about this whole thing …” Cannon said. “Course shopping is not much of a problem. It’s just a reason to push it through.”
McPhee said removing the tuition cap and charging tuition based on total course load makes more sense and will help students in the end.
“It supports and encourages more efficient advising and student planning and assists part-time students who are already paying for the hours actually taken,” McPhee said.
McPhee is also looking at developing a new model for MTSU’s future with his “Positioning the University for the Future” initiative.
He has formed four strategic work groups, as well as a steering committee, to look at how to eliminate waste, consolidate resources and generate new funding sources for the future, as well as look at cutting university jobs and possibly future classes offered.
“The decisions that have to be made are not going to be easy and will not be received positively by every member of (the university), but please know that you can count on my commitment to not compromise the academic quality or integrity of this institution,” McPhee said.
The committees will take suggestions from MTSU faculty, staff and students, as well as the community at large at www.mtsu.edu/strategic.
So far the Coalition to Save Our Schools supports McPhee’s plan.
“I think … he has the interests of MTSU at his heart and will defend MTSU’s education at any cost,” Cannon said.
Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.
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