The latest developments in the next state budget would see a cut of between $1-million and $7.6-million from the University of Missouri administration’s budget.

Senator Rob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph)

Senator Rob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph)

The state Senate Budget Committee has proposed cutting $1-million from MU’s Administration. The House proposed a cut of $7.6-million. If the full Senate adopts the committee’s plan, the two chambers will negotiate between their respective positions and a final cut could be between the two amounts.

The committee discussed proposing that there be no cut to MU’s administration, but Senator Rob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph) wanted a cut of at least $1-million. He noted that was the amount MU would have lost if the football team didn’t play last fall, during its boycott that led to then-president Tim Wolfe’s resignation.

“One of the things that I was very upset about was when the administration at MU was talked into getting the resignation of the president because the football team said they weren’t going to play,” said Schaaf. “My feeling is they ought to at least be cut that $1-million. They wanted to save $1-million and they allowed that to happen, so they ought to lose the $1-million.”

Senator Jamillah Nasheed (D-St. Louis)

Senator Jamillah Nasheed (D-St. Louis)

Senator Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis) wanted all of of the University administration’s funding restored.

“Who are we to say simply because we don’t like the way that they did whatever they did, and again I’m that same person. With the racial tension on that campus and they didn’t do anything to try to remedy that problem, they didn’t fix any of those recommendations that those young African American kids came with, I should be the first one on the same page as you,” said Nasheed to committee members who wanted the administration’s funding cut. “I don’t think that we should be in the business of saying simply because you act in a negative manner we should punish you by way of stripping funding from you.”

The committee’s proposal for state aid to MU will go as early as this week, with the rest of its proposed state spending plan, to the full Senate.