Spreading the same gloomy financial outlook he delivered last month, a state education official on Tuesday said Missouri Western State University faces unique challenges.

Paul Wagner, deputy commissioner of the Missouri Department of Higher Education, visited Northwest Missouri State University in October and outlined budget shortfalls that equal $52 million for state schools next year. He spoke to a group of Missouri Western officials Tuesday at the Kemper Recital Hall, delivering the same bad news.

About half of a Missouri university's budget is derived from state appropriations. The remainder is gathered through tuition and fees. Missouri schools can't raise tuition above the consumer price index or they'll be penalized, which leaves administrators in a tough spot. However, universities can apply for a waiver in special circumstances - something Mr. Wagner said last month he expects to see happen next year.

Mr. Wagner said Tuesday that Western, which offers a variety of programs and has a broad focus, has fewer areas that can be scaled back when appropriations are cut. Further, with Western's higher percentage of lower socio-economic students, higher tuition means fewer opportunities.

"If tuition has to be raised," he said, "it's directly going to impact student access, and that's not going to help the state at all."

Mr. Wagner said the state will see an increase in the number of minority students considering higher education, and that the higher education community "has not done very well with that demographic." He said other states that have had success have added support services to get there.

Jimmy Myers can be reached

at jimmym@npgco.com.