January 17, 2008
The opening days of the Kansas Legislature brought great news. In her State of the State address, Governor Kathleen Sebelius proposed important funding for KU projects and higher education.
She recommended an overall increase of 4.4 percent in the operating grant budget for KU and other Regents institutions. This critical increase will help the University meet ongoing operational expenses.
The governor also supported other key investments, which had been recommended by the Kansas Board of Regents. Chief among these is KU’s proposal to expand the KU School of Pharmacy in Lawrence and Wichita. Kansans faces a serious shortage of pharmacists statewide. By approving the expansion, lawmakers have the opportunity to nearly double the number of pharmacy graduates each year. That's good news, especially in the nearly 40 counties with no pharmacists or only one to serve an entire county.
The KU Cancer Center and its efforts to garner National Cancer Institute designation also received the governor’s support. State assistance for the KU Cancer Center is a vital factor in obtaining NCI designation. This designation will enable Kansans to participate in the latest clinical trials, improving care for the thousands battling cancer.
The governor also recommended funds for student scholarships, along with additional new dollars to keep chipping away at the backlog of sorely needed repair and renovation projects on all university campuses.
We are extremely pleased with the budget recommendations and will work with state legislators to pass them.
For more information, please contact Kathy Damron, Director of State Relations at (785) 235-2525 or mkdtopeka@aol.com
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