The University of Kansas receives funding from a variety of sources. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, state funds made up just under one-quarter of KU’s overall $1.1 billion in annual revenue from all sources, accounting for $264 million of KU’s FY 2007 budget.
Funding from grants and contracts comprised the second largest source of revenue for KU, while the third largest component of revenues was tuition and fees, accounting for 18 percent of total revenue in FY 2007.
KU's 2007 Revenue Sources
KU's 2007 Expenses
For more information on the FY 2007 budget, including explanations of the categories used in these charts, visit the 2007 Annual Report.
In 1999, the Kansas Legislature, the Kansas Board of Regents and the six state universities sought and achieved consensus on a new model to govern and operate Kansas universities, community colleges and technical schools. Senate Bill 345 provided for an increase in higher education funding with an requirement that all institutions covered by SB 345 will meet specified performance agreements to ensure higher education funding from the Kansas Legislature is efficiently spent.
Every June, the Kansas Board of Regents compiles a unified budget request from all the Kansas institutions including the University of Kansas. The unified budget is then submitted to the next session of the Kansas Legislature as part of the governor’s upcoming budget for the next fiscal year. Rather than each postsecondary institution being funded separately, the Kansas Legislature provides a block grant to the Kansas Board of Regents, which in turn distributes the money based on a formula and whether a specific institution is meeting its performance agreement.
The University of Kansas values every single taxpayer and tuition dollar that is invested into its operations. Chancellor Robert Hemenway stresses that the University of Kansas should seek to operate using common business practices, including those utilized by businesses identified as profitable and providing good services.
In October 2005, Chancellor Hemenway presented to the Kansas Board of Regents a presentation on the successes KU was having in being more efficient in spending its state funds and tuition dollars.
One of the key efficiencies Chancellor Hemenway discussed was KU breaking away from the inflexible state of Kansas purchasing regulations. No longer does KU have to file multiple sheets of forms to purchase pencils, copy paper and copiers. For any purchase under $25,000, the University of Kansas can purchase any item from any competitive supplier. By breaking free of purchasing rules, KU can get competitive prices on items for its operations, making each taxpayer dollar go further.
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