UMD receives state funds at a lower level than most community colleges and technical schools when analyzed on a per-student basis. There are 36 independently-reporting public higher education institutions in Minnesota, and UMD ranks 32 in per-student state funding. Only Saint Paul College, Inver Hills, Normandale and North Hennepin — all community colleges — received less state money per-student.
The four other campuses in the UMN system each ranked in the top 10 last year. University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler decides how much each campus will receive as part of his annual budget, which is ultimately approved by the Board of Regents.
Top UMD administrators say they are working closely with Twin Cities officials to maximize allocations, but no formula or otherwise deterministic method dictates how much money UMD receives.
After the legislature appropriates money to the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities (MnSCU) system, member institutions allocate state money among themselves using a mathematical model. Their model determines a particular school’s allocation based on metrics such as its square footage, expenditures and enrollment.
“It’s structured to mirror what happens at a college or University,” said Susan Anderson, associate director of financial planning and analysis at MnSCU.
There are no plans to convert UMD’s arbitrary allocation approach to a more systematic framework like MnSCU, but such an idea was popular among students.
“We should allocate like MnSCU,” UMD senior Alaina Abraham said. “(UMN’s way) just doesn’t really seem fair … it seems they should treat everyone in (UMN) the same.”
Ryan Redfield is a junior at UMD who transferred from Minnesota State Community and Technical College last year. He did not know UMD’s per-student funding level, but he said it would have affected his decision to come to UMD if he had.
“If I would have known that before I transferred, I don’t think I would have come,” Redfield said.
He did not understand why UMD got less money than his old community college because he now pays more for school and expects the state to pay more too.
“For (transfer students) to come here, we have to take out more loans and we’re having to pay more, so you’d think there would be more state funding,” Redfield said.
Other students were also shocked and expressed a sense of injustice upon hearing of the discrepancy between state funding per student at UMD and colleges elsewhere in Minnesota.
“Wow,” sophomore Tomas Johnson said after learning about it, “I just don’t even know what to say, and I’m just like, ‘why?’”
He expected UMD to receive the second highest per-student allocation in the state because he figured it would correlate with the school’s national ranking and prestige.
“I’d like to see what we could do if (UMD) was better funded,” Johnson added.
Junior Shon Rought was disappointed to hear about UMD’s per-student funding level.
“Honestly it’s just unfortunate,” Rought said. She said that paying more for tuition should translate to higher state funding, a sentiment similar to Redfield’s.
“I feel like my parents would probably be upset (about UMD’s funding level),” Rought said.
UMD is facing a $6 million recurring structural deficit, and programs will be cut without more funding from the state. Faculty has expressed concern that doing so could lead to a vicious cycle of fewer programs, fewer students and less tuition revenue, which could result in more cuts. Rought was also worried that cutting programs will turn away potential students.
“If we cut programs … people won’t want to come to (UMD),” Rought said.
President Kaler did not respond to emails requesting comment. Chancellor Black was unavailable for comment.
BY JOHN FAHNENSTIEL
Staff Reporter