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JAC trims university ask, denies $1.5M for possible NCAA loss and bans DEI spending from state aid and endowment matching
Summary
The Joint Appropriations Committee reviewed the University of Wyoming’s requests and denied a $1.5 million funding ask related to a potential NCAA loss while approving tuition funding for five students at the University of Utah School of Medicine and inserting a prohibition on DEI spending from certain state aid and endowment matching funds.
The Joint Appropriations Committee reviewed the University of Wyoming budget requests and approved several targeted items while denying other requests.
Why it matters: The committee’s choices affect the university’s ability to respond to potential litigation-related revenue loss, expand medical‑school placements for Wyoming students and set limits on state support for diversity, equity and inclusion activities funded through certain state aid and endowment matching appropriations.
Representative Pendergraft explained that JAC denied the governor’s recommendation of $1.5 million general funds one-time for an estimated loss related to litigation over athletes’ use of image and likeness (described as an NCAA matter). The committee felt the timing and likely time horizon made the full up-front funding unnecessary and postponed a final decision until outcomes were clearer.
Pendergraft said the committee increased the governor’s recommendation of $500,000 one-time by $50,000 to $550,000 GF one-time to establish an agreement with the University of Utah School of Medicine to expand slots for five Wyoming students under a program similar to WICHE; later committee discussion clarified that this funding pays tuition for the first class year and will create ongoing cost commitments as cohorts progress.
The committee adopted the governor’s one-time funding for inflation associated with a coal pyrolysis demonstration project. On institutional policy, JAC amended footnote 12 to specify that “no funds from the state aid and endowments and matching appropriations shall be expended on any diversity, equity, and inclusion program” — expanding prior language to bar any DEI program, activity or function from those funds. Committee members debated whether culturally specific events such as Black History Month would be covered by the prohibition; the presenter and chairman stated that celebratory programming that does not accuse or impugn other races would not qualify as DEI programming subject to the ban.
Representative Pendergraft and other members said they will reserve fuller policy discussion for second reading and directed questions about timing of the NCAA matter to the university; Pendergraft said she would reconfirm timing with university officials.
Ending: The committee closed Section 67 after these actions and moved on to other items in the budget review.
