MWSU faces budget challenges, early start due to Covid-19

The Board of Governors at Missouri Western approved next fiscal year's budget amidst budget challenges and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The board of governers at missouri western are adamant on moving forward through the challenges of budget shortfalls and covid-19.

Good evening, i'm madeline mcclain.

Earlier today the board met to discuss how the pandemic is shaping not just their budget, but also their academic schedule.

Kq2's ron johnson has more.

<<ron johnson reportingwe're starting to get a glimpse as to what the fall semester will look like at missouri western this year, for starters it'll begin earlier.

We're gonna have the same length of the semester but we're gonna move it up by two weeks.

Starting august 17th, a time usually reserved for chief's camp, students will now be on campus ready to start the semester.

The university's president says it's a safety measure to start and end the semester before winter hits.

As we all know, flu season colds, covid- 19 those things, people are susceptible during the winter months and that's one of the adjustments that's we're looking to make.that decision may also impact the bottom line.

Despite efforts to reduce spending including several cuts to degree programs, staff and faculty at missouri western are still on track to face more budget challenges.

Going into next year, the prediction is we'll probably have $4 million dollars that will be withheld.

On thursday university officials approved their 20-21 fiscal year budget and fall semester schedule in hopes that parents will physically send their kids to campus, in hopeful expectation that the students will be safe.

Covid-19's impact has been felt in the university's pocketbook!

With 2.9 million dollars in state funding now off the table, in addition to that nearly four million the university was already set to lose.

The blessing of our adversity is that we were ahead of the curve, that we had the conversations that we talked, we listened, and that we've been able to move forward cause i think that it actually positions us in a much better place to succeed.

The president still remains hopeful that the university's response to the crisis will be long run.

Ron johnson kq2 news>> the university was previously expecting an over 7 million dollar deficit in funding for the fiscal year.

Staff plan to wrap up the semester around thanksgiving break.

A record