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March 13, 2009

Legislature passes key elements of KU agenda

The Kansas Legislature was working overtime this week and with great enthusiasm advanced major components of KU's legislative agenda. While Jayhawks won't know how budget dollars will be allocated until much later in the session, they can rest assured Kansas legislators are interested in helping support KU's mission.

HB 2007 - The bill that would allow a proposal like the Jayhawk Generations Tuition Plan is on its way to Governor Kathleen Sebelius for her signature. The bill authorizes KU and other Regents universities to propose tuition waiver programs, such as legacy tuition plans that have been highly successful in other states. Once signed, the bill would become law July 1, 2009. However, any changes in tuition programs would first have to be approved by the Kansas Board of Regents. Judging by the interest demonstrated by KU alumni - especially those living in other states - this will be an extremely popular proposal in attracting legacy students.

HB 2197 - This legislation allowing the Board of Regents to set admission standards was passed by the Kansas Senate this week 34-6 and now is headed to a House-Senate conference committee. The measure was amended during Senate floor debate to clarify that any changes in admission standards would not impact incoming students for a four-year period. With only this minor modification made to the measure, it is a near certainty that this measure will become law this year. However, it will be several years before any major changes in admissions would be adopted.

SB 9 - The construction modernization bill was heard this week in the House Education Budget Committee. Jim Modig, KU's director of Design and Construction Management, did a great job offering supporting testimony. This measure is one of a series of measures KU has advanced in recent years to wipe out costly and outdated bureaucratic requirements in an effort to achieve cost savings and greater efficiencies.

SB 8 - The legislation allowing University of Kansas Medical Center students to be covered under the tort claims act was heard in the House Judiciary Committee. Jim Pottorff, General Counsel at KU, spoke in support of the measure, describing the longstanding policy of the state to provide this coverage for our medical students in this manner, but through a separate legal means.

Budget - The House Appropriations Committee deliberated on the higher education budget this week and decided to accept the Governor's recommended funding levels, but did not take action to incorporate the additional federal economic stimulus money into their recommendations. Their plans are to revisit that issue later this session as more information becomes available. As it stands, budget cuts for KU and other universities appear as though they will fall somewhere between 7 percent and 10 percent. No final decisions will be made until early May.