Higher‑education budgets: committee reviews system long sheets, proposes formal study of funding formula and declines private-college amendment to challenge-grs

The Education and Environment Division spent the later portion of its Feb. 11 meeting reviewing long‑sheet budget proposals for the North Dakota University System Office and the system's institutions, discussed a proposed 11‑member study of the higher‑education funding formula, and considered — then rejected — an amendment to allow two private colleges to receive challenge‑grant funds.

Committee staff reviewed the system office long sheet and the institutions' long sheets dated Feb. 11. The discussion covered ongoing items (salary, health insurance, FTE adjustments), one‑time requests (dual‑credit scholarships, challenge grants, Dakota Digital Academy and a professional student exchange program), and capital requests across campuses. The long sheet noted the Bank of North Dakota profits as a funding source for $1.5 million in dual‑credit scholarships and a…