A day that started at Central Lakes College with students and staff voicing worries about a possible state shutdown ended on a better note as school administrators learned of a deal to keep the Minnesota State Colleges and University system open if there is a shutdown.

Scott Thiss, chairman of MnSCU’s board of trustees, said the system will hire the state to continue handling the system’s finances during any possible shutdown.

Kari Christiansen, CLC vice president of administrative services, was one of several CLC staff and students who spoke at a morning roundtable on higher education that was organized by DFL lawmakers. 

She said Wednesday afternoon she was pleased to learn CLC and other MnSCU schools would stay open despite the possibility of a July 1 state shutdown. 

“We’ve been doing our contingency planning for the last few weeks,” she said. “I didn’t necessarily expect it (news that MnSCU schools would stay open). We were certainly hopeful for the benefit of our students.”

Summer session classes at CLC started last week she said and it was nice to know the school will be open for business.

“At least this will allow our students to stay in classes and continue that core mission, which is what we’re all about.” she said. “We just need to be conservative in what we do until we get the higher education bill (passed and signed).”

At the morning roundtable, Christiansen, the college’s chief financial officer, outlined budgets CLC had prepared based on the work of the Legislature’s conference committees.

Those budgets call for a reduction of $1.1 million in state appropriations for CLC. The fiscal year 2012 projected budget shortfall is $2.1 million.

Planned budget reductions include but are not limited to two academic program suspensions and associated faculty layoffs; 13 retirements of faculty and staff; and three full-time equivalency reductions in part-time faculty because of class size increases.

State officials who were on hand for the morning session were Higher Education Commissioner Sheila Wright, Rep. John Ward, DFL-Brainerd, Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL- St. Peter, and Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul. The announcement that MnSCU schools would stay open in a shutdown was not made until Wednesday afternoon.

The Democrats and Wright heard students tell of the stress they’re experiencing trying to work and go to school in hopes of finding a better job someday. Instructors spoke of the effects of year-after-year cuts at the college.

Nancy Smith, who teaches health at the college and brought her class to the roundtable, called for the chancellor’s salary to be cut. Democratic lawmakers said they had offered a proposal to do that but it was rejected.

“This is so wrong,” Smith said. “This is about as angry as I’ve ever been.”

Student Johnathon Jourdan, who said he struggles with various mental health issues, said education cuts would affect his ability to make something of his life. He currently can’t find work despite having 12 years experience in the restaurant industry.

“In a town with such a crappy economy this (CLC) is all we’ve got left,” he said.

Student Julie Jo Larson advocated taxing the upper income earners in order to take some of the burden off the shoulders of what used to be the middle class. She called on Democrats, Republicans and Tea Party members to compromise to avoid a state shutdown.

“It’s time for everyone to give up their little corners and compromise,” she said. “Please work together .”

Dennis Lamberson, director of theatre at CLC, said his program is self-funding but that it was relying on the July play ticket revenue to help pay for next summer’s theatre season.

Samantha Nichols, a student, cancer survivor and mother of three, said she lives paycheck to paycheck. Trying to finish her child development degree, Nichols said she has sacrificed time with her children (ages 2 to 6) to pursue her education.

“I’m focused on school because right now this is my job,” Nichols said.

Mary Sam, CLC director of diversity and student affairs, cited high percentages of CLC students who were low income or below the poverty level. The college also serves many veterans and displaced homemakers. 

Minnesota was once considered a premiere state in education, but that’s no longer the case, Sam said.

“We have gone down the toilet,” she said. “We are looked at as falling apart. Shame on government.”

Tony Allen, a non-traditional student said that with hopes of graduating soon he took summer classes for the first time this year instead of looking for a job. He wondered why politicians couldn’t hash out their differences and avoid a government shutdown.

“It’s going to kill our economy,” Allen said.

Deb Breneman, who works in faculty support, disputed the contention of Pappas that Republicans didn’t want a government shutdown.

“The shutdown is hideous,” she said. “The bigger problem to me is the draconian cuts.

 Rep. Ward called for compromise on the budget issues.

“We’ll be battling for you right to the end,” he told the crowd of about 70 students and staff. “Where is the majority party going to be? We’ve all got emails. We’ve all got phones. Don’t let 16 days go by and not do anything.”

Wright, an appointee of Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton, said Dayton does not want a government shutdown and said the question should be asked of Republicans why would they risk a shutdown just to make a point.

Sen. Paul Gazelka, R-Brainerd, said in a telephone interview Wednesday afternoon the two parties are close on K-12 and judiciary funding and there was no reason parts of the budget couldn’t be wrapped up.

“I would say it’s time to stop finger-pointing on either side and let’s get to work,” he said.

Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter, said that beyond the short-term concerns about a shutdown there were long-terms concerns about higher education funding.

This story contains information compiled by The Associated Press

MIKE O’ROURKE may be reached at mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5860.