Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ

Contact: Jennifer Hollingshead
Office: (573) 882-0601
E-mail: hollingsheadj@umsystem.edu

Statement from University of Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ President Elson S. Floyd Regarding the House and Senate Conference Committee Recommendation for Fiscal Year 2006 University Appropriations

The joint Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ House and Senate conference budget committee signed off yesterday on a bill to provide the University of Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ with a flat appropriation for operations of approximately $400 million for next year. The committee also signed off on a flat appropriation of approximately $23 million for the University's hospitals and clinics and a $1 million increase to the University of Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ-Kansas City School of Dentistry. The bill will have to be voted on by the full Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ House and Senate before being considered for gubernatorial approval.

"I am very grateful to Governor Blunt and the House and Senate for their perseverance in maintaining our general operating budget for the coming fiscal year," University of Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ President Elson S. Floyd said. "Given the harsh fiscal realities facing our state, this is indeed good news and a validation of the importance of higher education to Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ."

The House and Senate conference committee recommended cutting funding for two state services stewarded by the University of Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ. The committee signed off on eliminating appropriations for the Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ Bibliographic Information User System (MOBIUS), a common electronic library platform for a consortium of colleges and academic libraries. The committee also signed off on cutting $4.35 million from the Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ Research and Education Network (MOREnet), which provides Internet connectivity, access to Internet2, technical support, videoconferencing services and training to Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ's K-12 schools, colleges and universities, public libraries, health care, state government and other affiliated organizations.

"These are vital services for our schools and libraries," President Floyd said. "We have already begun a plan to consolidate these important organizations in order to save funding and operate as efficiently as possible."