MSU board approves $244M FY09 budget

About $244.2 million in budgeted expenses will be financed by about $248.4 million in anticipated revenues, according to a news release. Nearly $9 million of the operating expenses go to the West Plains campus.

The Springfield campus budget includes funding for several new faculty and staff positions; a 4.2 percent salary pool increase for employees; a $1.5 million increase in student scholarships and financial aid; and more than $2 million in increases to utilities and other fixed costs, the release said.

The budget also includes a 4 percent increase in student fees, a 4.4 percent to 5.1 percent increase in room and board charges, and an approximately 100-student enrollment increase.

Overall, scholarships and other financial aid provided to students next year will total $40.8 million.

MSU is budgeted to receive a net $87.27 million from the state, a $3.5 million increase from fiscal 2008, according to the release.