Higher Ed Utah

Not being from Utah, this state’s legislature is always fascinating to me.  The session started out with budget hearings where each committee was charged with cutting budgets by at least 7%, and every state service was on the chopping block, fighting for its continuation.

Fortunately, another personality emerged in the legislature sometime toward the end of the first week of February. I thought this second personality was kinder and gentler. Perhaps driven by increased budget revenue estimates, legislators were motivated to improve our state. In the joint higher education appropriations committee the conversation shifted to working with the institutions and this office to create positive change.

At the end of the session, we were moderately pleased with the final decisions.  Yes, we did get cut 2% however the cut was less than might have been the case.  A 2% cut is much better than what other states are facing.  For example, the Governor of Pennsylvania is proposing a 50% cut in state college funding.

We were successful in moving many policy issues ahead:  The legislature approved a bill to establish mission based funding for future allocations, a Student Success program was created for financial aid,  necessary changes were made to the Utah Educational Savings Plan program, funds were appropriated to move more general education courses on-line through concurrent enrollment, and finally, we received additional money for economic development, the Utahfutures.org website, and creating the Utah State University veterinarian school.

Thus, in the end, the best of the legislature was demonstrated. Hopefully, the more positive approach to dealing with state problems will carry over into next year. We are ready to partner with the legislature to build the higher education system of the future.