April 23, 2018
Budget and legislative update
Submitted by Division of Communications and Marketing
The Kansas Legislature returns to the State Capitol for the Legislative Veto Session on April 26 and plans to adjourn the session on May 4.
The Kansas Board of Regents and the six universities in the state's higher education system have been united in requesting restoration of nearly $24 million in budget cuts made to higher education in the 2017 fiscal year. K-State's portion of that cut is $4.87 million.
The request for restoration of higher education funds is not currently in the state budget, which has not yet passed the Legislature. The budget will be considered in the omnibus spending bill when the Legislature returns April 26. In addition, all Kansas universities' tuitions proposals are due to the Kansas Board of Regents in early May. We will continue to communicate as information becomes available.
The following is a letter from Kansas State University President Richard B. Myers, University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas A. Girod, and Wichita State University President John W. Bardo sent to all Kansas legislators requesting support for the Kansas Board of Regents single budget request.
Dear Representative:
Improving the lives of our citizens and creating a more prosperous Kansas continues to be a priority at Kansas State University, the University of Kansas, and Wichita State University.
We are writing today to ask for your support of the Regents’ single budget request this year — restoration of $24 million for the system which was reduced under the FY 2017 budget allotments. For our three institutions, the total is $14,565,895.
Your investment in higher education would have immediate and long-term benefits for Kansas. Recent data indicates college graduates contribute more taxes, require less public assistance and achieve lifetime earnings of $1 million more than non-graduates and individuals without advanced degrees.
At our three institutions, first and foremost, restoration of FY 2017 budget cuts would help us to maintain affordable tuition for students and families. Additionally, restoration of the cuts would enable our universities to improve the educational experience for students, expand outreach and service to Kansas communities, enhance our research portfolios, and address retention challenges as other universities attempt to lure away our top researchers.
More broadly, stable and predictable State funding is essential for our universities to do any kind of long-term strategic planning and make prudent business decisions. We strongly believe that a robust higher education system with our state’s continued investment is a critical factor in our job to produce a well-prepared workforce and a productive citizen.
In closing, we want you to know we value the State as a partner in higher education in Kansas. We are responsible stewards of State dollars; we continue to achieve efficiencies in our operations; and we continue to be engines of economic growth for the state and region.
Thank you for consideration of our request. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact any one of us or our government relations staff.
Sincerely,
Richard B. Myers, President, Kansas State University; Douglas A. Girod, Chancellor, University of Kansas; John W. Bardo, President, Wichita State University