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Febrary 20, 2009

KU initiatives moving as session hits half-way point

The Kansas Legislature marked a major milestone this week. Turn-around is the unofficial half-way mark in the session where policy bills must have passed out of their house of origin. Budget bills and tax measures are largely exempt from these deadlines, but the bulk of other legislation must have cleared at least one chamber of the Legislature to be "viable" for consideration in this session.

For KU's legislative agenda, the results are very encouraging. Here's a rundown:

1. Jayhawk Generations Program. HB 2007 was given overwhelming support in the Kansas House (109-16) this week, allowing the Kansas Board of Regents to consider innovative student recruitment programs, including waiving a portion of tuition to draw more students to Kansas universities. For instance, the legislation would allow KU to create a program for students whose parents, grandparents or legal guardians graduated from KU and who meet certain academic requirements. The measure has been referred to the Senate Education Committee where a hearing will be scheduled in early March.

2. Streamlined Construction Projects. SB 9 was approved by the Kansas Senate by a unanimous 40-0 vote, sending the key measure across the Statehouse rotunda to the Kansas House. This legislative initiative streamlines the process for construction projects financed by non-state funds. State regulations that cause delays and increase costs would be streamlined under the provisions of this legislation. All projects would remain under the review of the Legislature and the Board of Regents and a transparent process would be established to carry out the projects.

3. Admissions Standards. Kansas is the only state in the nation where the Legislature sets admission standards for colleges and universities in state statutes. HB 2197 would change that, directing that authority to the Kansas Board of Regents where this policy can most appropriately be developed to meet the needs of Kansas students and universities. Passed by the Kansas House, the measure erases outdated minimum achievement standards for admission into a Kansas university, as well as a variety of existing exceptions, which are also outdated. HB 2197 will be reviewed by Senate Education Committee members next month. If enacted, the Board of Regents would be able to set admission standards unique to each university in our state.

4. Cancer Center. Efforts to advance the cancer center at the KU Medical Center have seen a great deal of energy so far this session. Legislators have continued to back funding for the center and great support has also been demonstrated by a variety of other entities. Governor Sebelius, Kansas Bioscience Authority leaders and key legislators hosted KU and K-State leaders as they formalized a working agreement for the cancer center. That collaboration is just one of many that are at the heart of the cancer center.

5. KU & Higher Education Budget. While the news on most of KU's agenda is great, the budget shortfall is grim. Lawmakers have spent the first six weeks of the session cutting approximately 4.25 percent from the budgets of KU and all other universities and agencies funded by the state for the remainder of this current fiscal year. Deliberations are now taking place for the FY 2010 budget and it looks like we're going to have to brace for an additional 10 percent reduction. These cuts will be painful to our students, faculty and staff. Every effort has been made to find cost savings in areas that don't affect the high quality of teaching at KU - all of us are doing more with less and working hard to keep the campus motivated.