JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Gov. Jay Nixon's administration has halted millions of dollars of planned college construction projects that were to be funded with money from Missouri's student loan authority.

The college building program, started by former Gov. Matt Blunt, depends on the receipt of $350 million over several years from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority.

But the loan authority has delayed several scheduled state payments because of financial troubles.

Nixon's administration said Wednesday that there isn't enough money for all the projects.

"We have a substantial shortfall in that account," said Paul Wilson, a senior counsel to Nixon for budget and financial issues.

Nixon's administration commissioner sent letters dated Tuesday to five universities, notifying them that payments were being halted for about $150 million worth of construction projects.

Four projects have been suspended indefinitely. Those include the $31.2 million new Ellis Fischel Cancer Center at the University of Missouri-Columbia; a $5 million plant science building in Mexico, Mo.; a $600,000 swine research facility in Callaway County; and a $4.5 million business center at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.

For an additional 14 projects, university leaders were told they might not receive more money or that the projects were under review by Nixon's administration.

Those projects include:

The first phase of what was budgeted to ultimately be a $29.7 million renovation of multiple buildings at Missouri State University in Springfield.

$28.5 million for renovation of the Benton and Stadler halls at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

$21.6 million for the renovation of the Pershing Building at Truman State University at Kirksville.

$13.2 million for renovation of the Morrow/Garrison building at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.

$2.6 million for an autism center at Southeast Missouri State University.

Also put on hold while under review are several agricultural projects funded through the University of Missouri, including $725,000 for the Thompson Farm in Grundy County, $600,000 for the Graves-Chapple Farm in Atchison and Holt counties and $350,000 for the Hundley-Whaley Research Center in Gentry County.

Northwest Missouri colleges in line for $54 million of the MOHELA money are apparently in the clear.

Missouri Western State University is getting $30 million for a math and science building renovation and addition. Remington Hall, the addition to Agenstein Hall, is on track to be completed by the end of the year. Walls are up and the roof should go on next month.

Mel Klinkner, vice president for financial planning and administration at Western, said his understanding is that most of the projects being considered for cuts were still in the planning stages and that ground had yet to be broken.

The walls of the Center for Excellence in Innovation and Entrepreneurship have been up for more than a year at Northwest Missouri State University. The $24.4 million it's receiving from the state will finish the inside of the 60,000-square-foot building.

News-Press reporter Jimmy Myers contributed to this story. He may be reached at jimmym@npgco.com.