JFAC debates cuts to universities, approves oversight language and DEI audit

Chairing the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on behalf of both co-chairs, legislators debated a pair of competing budget motions for the fiscal year 2026 college and university budget and approved several pieces of accompanying oversight language.

The committee considered a motion introduced by Representative Bryce that would add $3,369,900 for operational capacity enhancement, make technical corrections to health benefits and CEC calculations, add dedicated endowment adjustments of $1,388,700, provide $387,000 ongoing to Lewis‑Clark State College for salary adjustments, and add $1,000,000 ongoing systemwide for operating expenditures for the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute (IWRRI). The motion also reduced general‑fund ongoing support for Boise State University and the University of Idaho by $2,000,000 each. Representative Bryce identified the Lewis‑Clark adjustment as intended to bring early‑career starting pay closer to K‑12 public school teacher averages for a small college that lacks property‑tax support and large research grants.

A substitute motion by Senator Galloway kept the enhancements but removed the $2,000,000 reductions to Boise State and the University of Idaho and adjusted the enrollment workload and endowment lines. That substitute recorded a tied overall vote (10–10) and therefore failed. The committee then took the original motion; the Senate delegations did not achieve a majority, so the motion was not adopted by the joint committee at that time and was…