Higher ed officials thankful proposed cuts are small

If they're unhappy, they're not saying so publicly.

Missouri college and university administrators said this week they're pleased Gov. Jay Nixon cut their budgets by only 7 percent in the 2011-12 budget proposal he submitted to lawmakers last week.

Speaking as chairman of the Council on Public Higher Education in Missouri - which represents the state's 13 public, four-year college and university campuses - Lincoln University President Carolyn Mahoney said: "We appreciate the governor's strong commitment to public higher education and are encouraged that he was able to construct a budget that limits reductions to public universities to 7 percent."