College students feel MnSCU budget squeeze

Enrollment declines have put pressure on the budgets of Minnesota state colleges and universities — and students are feeling it.

That's especially true at St. Cloud State University, which saw enrollments drop dramatically in the last five years. The number of full year-equivalent students fell from around 15,000 in 2010 to just under 12,000 this year.

With an anticipated $6 million budget shortfall, the school already made cuts in athletics, faculty and through hiring freezes. St. Cloud State also wants to add $3 million to reserves, putting more pressure on operating budgets.

"You can't feel good about it," said St. Cloud State President Earl Potter. "We had to restructure our varsity athletics program to reduce the basic costs of that program to the institution. In the last two years we will have cut 11 academic programs, so I can't possibly leave varsity athletics untouched."

Vance Barnes, a freshman, received athletic scholarships at St. Cloud State University, and played on the football and track teams. But the men's track and field team was cut last month. Now Barnes is planning to transfer.

"I had no clue that St. Cloud was in debt or that enrollment numbers are down," he said. "Now they expect you to switch up the plan you had for four years."

Between 2011 and 2015, MnSCU's enrollment fell by about 7 percent. Over that same time, the University of Minnesota system lost about 3.5 percent, and the state's private colleges and universities fell by about 1 percent.

Enrollment has declined as the economy improved, said Laura King, MnSCU's vice chancellor of finance and chief financial officer. For a time, she said, schools benefited from higher unemployment.

"Our enrollment increased as the unemployment rate went up," she said. "Folks went back to school, they got more training, they got skills."

But St. Cloud State is projecting increased enrollments next year. The school also might get some financial help from the state. Gov. Mark Dayton asked the Legislature for $21 million to be distributed among MnSCU schools to help maintain tuition at a level frozen in 2013.

"I know the need is there and they wouldn't be asking for it if it wasn't really necessary, so I support that," said State Rep. Bud Nornes, who chairs the House Higher Education Policy and Finance Committee.

But Nornes added that funds may not be available.