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Consultants propose "foundational funding" first, performance pool second for Mississippi public universities
Summary
NCHEMS consultants told trustees a reworked allocation model should first ensure institution-level "foundational funding" (basic/intermediate/comprehensive thresholds for administrative costs, facilities and mission-aligned programs) and then distribute a separate performance pool; consultants recommended weighting Pell-eligible and transfer students and including nonresident tuition in revenue calculations.
NCHEMS consultants Dr. Brian Prescott and Dr. Sarah Pingle presented an updated concept for state funding allocation that would calculate institution-specific "foundational funding" first and then award performance dollars on top of that baseline. "Foundational funding is a key component of a public higher education institution's budget," Pingle told the trustees, describing a tiered approach (basic, intermediate, comprehensive) that would cover administrative expenses, facilities maintenance and curriculum upkeep.
The consultants said the model addresses shortcomings of the prior approach, which began by dividing appropriated funding into shares. Prescott summarized the old formula's limits, saying it "failed to account for how well institutions are funded relative to one another and related to their missions" and omitted costs such as deferred maintenance and curriculum maintenance. Under the new concept, state leaders would select a threshold level of foundational funding; institutions that have met that threshold would be eligible for performance funding, while institutions with gaps would receive targeted foundational dollars first.
Why it matters: The consultants argued this structure would protect a predictable baseline for each campus so that performance rewards are not merely substitutions for necessary base funding. The model also proposes explicit attention to high-priority student groups: "we have made some decisions ... to focus on Pell-eligible low income students as well as transfer students and to add weight to the way in which those groups are being treated in the model," Prescott said.
Details and next steps: NCHEMS described three operational levels of foundational funding. At the most basic, the calculation would cover minimal administrative and facilities costs; intermediate and comprehensive thresholds would add institution-scale adjustments and more professional facility estimates. The consultants said they are still refining model specifications, continuing work on post-graduation outcomes data with NSPARC, and plan to produce a final report by June and return to the trustees (and institutional leaders) for more detailed review in May at Alcorn State.
Trustee reaction and process notes: Trustees thanked the consultants and indicated many technical questions remain; the presenters cautioned they were discussing a concept rather than final model outputs. The board did not take action on the concept at this meeting; NCHEMS will provide further detail and modeling outputs in coming weeks.
