Arkansas Blog: $42 million in stimulus UPDATE

Gov. Mike Beebe released today a list of about $42 million in federal stimulus money on higher education institutions and another $26 million for other educational needs.

The biggest single expenditure was $6 million for the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts, the boarding high school for brainy students, in Hot Springs. The Arkansas Wireless Information Network got $4.1 million. $4 million allocations went to ASU, UA, UALR and the Department of Correction. The Schools for the Blind and Deaf got $3.5 million each.

The money can be used for renovation and modernization, but not new construction. Education money in some states is going to shore up budget shortfalls, but Arkansas can apply the money to other uses because it doesn't face budget deficits. Beebe noted that the Math and Science money was contingent on other elements of a plan being approved.

UPDATE: A reader asked for specifics on spending. The details are now available at this link.

LITTLE ROCK -- Governor Mike Beebe today announced the distribution of $42.5 million of America Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for higher-education institutions in Arkansas. The money will come from the Government General Services Fund and will be used for renovation, energy-efficiency upgrades, and expansion of higher-education facilities.
Beebe also announced an additional $26.6 million in funding or potential funding for other Arkansas projects.
“Our fiscally responsible education funding has given Arkansas more options for our education recovery funds,” Governor Beebe said. “Investing this money in higher education will pay benefits for Arkansas students long after this economic stimulus has ended.”

Four-Year Institutions
Arkansas State University      $4,000,000
Arkansas Tech University     $2,960,000
Henderson State University     $2,900,000
Southern Arkansas University    $2,500,000
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville   $4,000,000
University of Arkansas at Fort Smith    $2,000,000
University of Arkansas at Little Rock   $4,000,000
University of Arkansas at Monticello    $2,514,000
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff    $3,000,000
University of Arkansas – Clinton School of Public Service $270,750
University of Arkansas – Division of Agriculture  $1,400,000
University of Central Arkansas    $3,000,000

Two-Year Institutions
Arkansas Northeastern College    $270,750
Arkansas State University – Beebe     $500,000
Arkansas State University – Mountain Home  $500,000
Arkansas State University – Newport    $250,000
Black River Technical College    $469,100
Cossatot Community College     $500,000
East Arkansas Community College    $250,000
Mid-South Community College    $270,000
National Park Community College    $235,170
North Arkansas College     $200,000
Northwest Arkansas Community College    $750,000
Ouachita Technical College     $382,691
Ozarka College      $375,000
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas $250,000
Pulaski Technical College     $500,000
Rich Mountain Community College    $645,000
South Arkansas Community College    $337,435
South Arkansas University – Tech    $740,251
Southeast Arkansas College     $337,435
University of Arkansas Community College – Batesville $505,000
University of Arkansas Community College – Hope  $500,000
University of Arkansas Community College – Morrilton $200,000

Private Institutions
Lyon College       $265,000
Philander Smith College     $500,000
University of the Ozarks     $253,249

Other entities to be funded include:

Arkansas Department of Correction    $4,000,000
Arkansas Delta Training and Education Consortium  $1,875,000
Arkansas Rehabilitation Services    $3,640,000
Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts $6,000,000
(ASMSA funding contingent on plan approval)
Arkansas School for the Blind    $3,500,000
Arkansas School for the Deaf     $3.500,000
Arkansas Wireless Information Network   $4,100,000

Governor Beebe has an additional $6.3 million dollars still unallocated in the General Services Fund and is reviewing additional projects for its use. More information on projects announced today will be available at recovery.arkansas.gov.

Comments

Every bit helps, but consider this: Pulaski Tech is the 5th largest college in the higher education system, yet it was allotted less money than 15 other two and four-year institutions. PTC tied for 16th place with four other two-year schools. Is this equitable, considering that Pulaski Tech is the largest community college in the state with a service area comprising the most highly-populated area in the Arkansas?

Posted by: Amanita | August 10, 2009 12:28 PM

Are there restrictions attached to the funds? or are we about to see football coach salaries go up?

Posted by: notrealbright | August 10, 2009 12:36 PM

"expansion of higher-education facilities"

Nothing towards reducing the climbing tuition and fees the students pay. But we will build more facilities that require annual state outlays and tuition/fee hikes to maintain those buildings long after the stimulus money has disappeared.

It would not make any difference. No matter how much we try to help students pay for college, the colleges will find an excuse to increase their costs, negating any assistance the state gives to the students. Colleges have the perfect economic survival engine.

Posted by: YossarianMinderbinder | August 10, 2009 12:36 PM

>>Colleges have the perfect economic survival engine.<<

Indeed they do. Colleges are now debt-creation machines. Was reading yesterday in TMN about
a mother getting a daughter ready for Hendrix. Other than tuition,books, dorm fees the parent was
told to expect to spend about $4200 on extras from a handbook on college preparation. That's for stuff like a computer, bedding, ipod, etc. The majority of people don't have that kind of money. This means there's $4200 going onto credit cards.

Some of that $100 million surplus in state scholarship funds needs to be redirected to remedial education and high school counseling. Someone on here remarked that the ratio of counselors to students is 1:150.
.

Posted by: eLwood | August 10, 2009 01:02 PM

Is there info as to the specific projects this money is going to fund within the schools? How come Ark Times is better at posting info on this rather than the gov't? Where can i find more info?

Posted by: senatorjesse | August 10, 2009 01:46 PM

I just don't get it. Why is federal money going to support private institutions?

Posted by: saywhat | August 10, 2009 04:06 PM

In response to the first post, it is puzzling how Pulaski Tech (enrollment pushing 10,000 students) would get a fraction of the distribution given schools with much smaller student populations. A great deal of higher education funding is doled out on a per-student basis. This time, not so much.

Posted by: JoeCollege | August 10, 2009 04:30 PM

PTC should have hired a better lobbyist. Sad, but probably true.

Posted by: calmwriter | August 10, 2009 06:08 PM

Arkansas Blog

$42 million in stimulus UPDATE

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