Missouri Lawmakers Mull Higher Education Funding Formula

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Show-Me State universities are going to have to show more performance to get more state funding.

A committee of lawmakers at the State Capitol Monday unveiled a formula that could make universities compete for a portion of their state funding.

State Senator David Pearce of Warrensburg says a little competition couldn't hurt.

"I just think that we need to hold our universities accountable. That we as a state need to determine what we think are important things that they should be doing and then reward those universities that are doing a great job."

Governor Nixon called for a similar reward system in his State of the State speech. Pearce says the standards are a work in progress, but he would like to see some kind of a funding formula in place by the end of the legislative session. 

"It really is based on nothing except for historical funding. And so if certain increases are given, they all get an increase. If certain decreases are given, they all get a decrease the same amount, with no indication whatsoever of performance funding."

Some of the criteria involved in the formula include the number of research programs, the amount of funds given to helping students make it through school, and the percentage of funds a university spends supporting its faculty.