1982-1986

' i . : : . . ] • ' !' Smith, ECJC cope with money cuts

bus transportation from $75 to $100 per semester would garner $1,550. $39,300 would be generated by an in– crease in county support revenue. This figure is a 10% increase that the Decatur school receives from the Board of Super– visors in each of the five counties (Newton, Neshoba, Scott, Leake, and Winston) that the junior college serves. "I have talked to each of the boards and they have related to me that they are willing to support any moves we have to make to keep running efficiently," said Smith. One proposal that is not etched in stone is the estimated savings of $15,215 for suspension of the baseball program for one year. According to Smith, this is an open-ended option that may not be decid– ed immediately. "I do not want to discontinue the baseball program, but you have to look at the whole picture," said Smith. "If we get the committments we need from pro– spective players, and interest is shown from the fans in the area, we will play," said Smith. " When I first came here, Coach Steve Rives (now at Louisiana College) wanted to do away with baseball. But I did not want to come in here fresh and start cut– ting programs until there were no other options. We will have a baseball team if we can justify it." , · The East Central baseball team finish– ed the 1985 season with only nine players. The 1984 team finished their season with only two wins, but Smith· said that new coach J .C. Arban, who coached the South all-stars in last weekend's juco game, is the man needed to field a team if the sport is saved . $23,216 would be saved due to the retirement of personnel at the college.

"We will begin hiring less experienced teachers to our staff and that will allow us to make some savings there. Also, some teachers wiH get a little extra load .in teaching some classes. I guess you could say that some of us will be wearing all types of hats," said Smith. When asked if the retirement of some outstanding teachers and the hiring of less experienced ones would hurt the quality of instruction at the college, Smith was quick to point out that he didn't think quality would be hurt in the least. "Senior colleges have graduate assistants teaching the same I and 2 level courses offered here. Our teachers are required to have masters degrees plus 18 hours of gradual~ work before they can teach here. We feel good about our staff and what they are capable of." The aforementioned savings and revenue plans along with some small miscellaneous reuctions total some $239,123 some $33,000 above the budget cuts. But Smith said that there would be some added costs that go with the rise in tuition to offset most of the remaining monies. Summing up his feelings about Mississippi's current situation in higher education and ECJC's future, Smith of.· fered, ..-There is going to have to be something done for us by our governments for us to remain vital and viable. If educa– tion does not receive the funding it needs, then industry will never come to our state. "I cannot offer a better example than the Saturn plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee. General Motors chose that site because o Tennessee's committment to their educa– tional system. Mississippi must make amends if we are ever to get off the bottom."

by John Muse East Central Junior College has under– taken some austerity measures to offset a decrease of 14.11 OJo in funding from state ' coffers. E.C.J :c. President Dr. Eddie Smith presented a list of recommendations to the Board of Trustees at their May meeting designed to help remedy the budget cuts imposed on the Decatur-based institution. The 14% cut represents $206,952, no small sum for a college as small as East Central. "After we saw the funding cuts coming, I set up a 12 member task force made up of instructors, administrative personel and people of all different backgroanas. I feel good with what we came up with, " said Smith. The major revenue raised to combat the loss of funds was an increase in tuition. Beginng this fall tuition will be $285, or an $85 increase from the previous year. This will raise $102,935, or almost half the amount needed. An increase·in the amount of dormitory room rent will be raised from $150 to $215. Smith said he didn't think the increases would hurt students from disadvantaged backgrounds, "I guess if you take the federal government's analysis of the poverty level, then a lot of our students would fall into this category. But most of these students you are talking about receive Pell grants (formerly called Basic Educational Opportunity Grants or BEOG). "The more costs go up, the Pell grant program goes up accordingly. Of course, day students will not be af– fected by this increase," he said. One sure-fire way to help the college through these trying times would be to in-

EC President Eddie Smith crease enrollment said Smith. "We have worked long and hard on getting our enrollment up. We are expecting about 1,000 people to be enrolled this term, up from the number we had last year, which was in the neighborhood of 890." The Trustees have approved a long shopping list of changes, each designed to keep EC's balance sheet in the black. There will be a $15/semester addition to meal costs. The increase is projected to earn the college about $7 ,350. A reduction in travel and supply budgets would produce a savings of $9,252. Reducing supervision in the Stu– dent Activity Center would save $6,705. Raising fees for activities and parking would net $1,340 and increased fees for

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