The protests on the University of Missouri campus may have died down, but the college is still paying for their repercussions.
Despite countless protests, a new list of demands, and a few forced resignations, Mizzou hasn’t managed to completely eradicate racism on campus, but instead has garnered an insane amount of debt.
According to Total Frat Move, Mizzou Interim Chancellor Hank Foley announced on Wednesday that the university is projecting a $32 million budget gap next year due to 1,500 fewer students enrolling at the university. Apparently constant walkouts and a tumultuous environment isn’t exactly going on the front page of a university brochure.
To discuss the concerns, Foley released a memo earlier this week:
Dear university community—
I am writing to you today to confirm that we project a very significant budget shortfall due to an unexpected sharp decline in first-year enrollments and student retention this coming fall. I wish I had better news.
The anticipated declines—which total about 1,500 fewer students than current enrollment at MU— in addition to a small number of necessary investments are expected to leave us with an approximate $32 million budget gap for next year. A smaller entering freshman class will have continuing impact on finances as they progress toward their degrees at MU. I must also point out that this shortfall does not take into account any additional budget losses that might come from a decline in the state appropriation for next year. As you know the state appropriation proposal to date would keep MU flat, but the UM System appropriation could be reduced by $7.6 million or more.
Yikes. In 2014 the university had the second largest freshman class in history, with a total enrollment of 6,546 new students. Now, things aren’t looking so great.
And it looks like things are far from over, thanks to Spike Lee.
https://twitter.com/CTPSports/status/706903363254759424
Can Mizzou be salvaged? You tell us.