Mississippi Valley State University President Donna Oliver said the university is prepared for the new cuts Gov. Haley Barbour announced Friday morning.
In addition to the 2 percent cut to the universities budget recently announced, Valley is preparing for future reductions, she said.
“For several months we have been planning for these cuts,” Oliver said. “It's certainly not something we want to do. We wish that we didn't have to do it. We are committed to doing what is best for the state of Mississippi and what is best for Mississippi Valley State University. “
Oliver said Valley’s plan is to stray as far from academic program reduction as possible and focus on the administrative departments.
“We do not want to touch our academic programs, and we do not want to reduce faculty,” she said. “We are going to do all that we can to cut at the higher administrative levels, versus faculty.”
Oliver is also facing Senate Bill 2701, which calls for Valley and Alcorn State to be merged with Jackson State University as branch campuses. She said she cannot see any benefit in merging the Valley into another university.
“I think if you go back and look at the history, why was MVSU born in the first place?” Oliver said. “To merge this university and to designate it as the bill has decided — a school to educate only teachers and to have skills for industry and for trade — is a step backwards rather than a step forward.”
Valley, one of only two Mississippi universities where enrollment did not increase this year, may have even more trouble now, Oliver said.
“We will be so glad when this is solved, because, yes, the talk of merger and closure will certainly affect our ability to recruit students and to recruit employees,” she said.
She said she is telling her students not to worry about merging with Jackson State.
“(We are) saying to our students, ‘Stay focused on receiving a quality education. Let us work with the Legislature and IHL to help them see the need for Mississippi Valley State to remain as it is,’” Oliver said. “We have every, every, every ounce of faith that this university will be here for generations to come.”
Oliver will speak to the Senate Thursday.
“I'm going to speak from the heart, and of course I will use facts; I will not be trying to use stories that will play on their emotions,” she said. “I'm looking forward to sharing with them how critical this university is to the Delta area and how we don't need to downsize. We need to broaden and expand what we are doing to meet the needs of not only our students who will come here, but to meet the needs of the Mississippi workers.”
Mississippi universities’ budgets already have been cut 8 percent in the past year, and Oliver said she is anticipating more cuts in 2011 and 2012.
Oliver said Valley graduates should voice their support.
“We are asking all of our alumni in the state of Mississippi to contact their legislators and let them know how they feel about Mississippi Valley State University,” she said.
Legislators from the Delta are hosting a public forum in Greenville to raise support against the proposed merger at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Elks Lodge on East Alexander Street.
Those scheduled to attend include Sen. David Jordan and Sen. Willie Simmons, and Rep. John Hines.
