Colleges, universities asking lawmakers for more money

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — Mississippi’s university and community colleges systems are asking legislators for more money.

Higher education commissioner Hank Bounds says the universities want a $30.5 million increase from last fiscal year, bringing the total funding bid for the eight schools to nearly $747 million.

Eric Clark, executive director of the Board of Community and Junior Colleges, tells the Clarion-Ledger he’s hoping lawmakers will commit to addressing the Mid-Level Funding Act.

The 2007 law provides that the two-year colleges would be funded per student halfway between what’s allocated for each student at the public schools and the universities.

Clark says the halfway point would be $5,600 per student. He says the community colleges are now getting less than $3,300 per student.