ST. LOUIS (AP) – A new proposal could tie 10 percent of currently dwindling state dollars to how well Missouri colleges produce graduates and keep costs down.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that performance funding has been around for several years but was only tied to new money for higher education. The funding method was moot this year when there was no new money to give out.

A 10 percent tie would mean that nearly $42 million could be on the line for the University of Missouri System.

The proposal is expected to come up for a Jan. 2 vote by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. The board will also likely vote to ask the governor to fund higher education at the same level as this year.