JFAC splits on university cuts; approves DEI audits and ICOM transparency language

Members of the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee (JFAC) on Oct. 24 debated rival higher‑education budget proposals, approved measures to increase legislative oversight of university negotiations and audits of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) compliance, and left a motion that would cut $2 million each from Boise State University and the University of Idaho to be considered by the full Senate.

Kevin Campbell, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, presented the college and university budget and outlined the line items under consideration, including an operational capacity enhancement, health‑benefits corrections and an enrollment workload adjustment. "You have before you today the college and university budget," he said as he reviewed the requested items.

The committee first considered a motion by Representative Bryce that would add a mix of ongoing and dedicated funding across systemwide items while reducing $2,000,000 ongoing from Boise State and $2,000,000 ongoing from the University of Idaho. Representative Bryce's motion included $387,000 general fund for Lewis‑Clark State College salary adjustments and $1,000,000 general fund for the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute.

A substitute motion from Senator Galloway removed the $2,000,000 reductions and increased the total general‑fund add back to the colleges. That substitute was designed to hold Lewis‑Clark and the University of Idaho harmless and to avoid the punitive reductions. Senator Galloway said the department and the institutions have shown recent change and argued the committee should not punish institutions that are beginning to comply with the legislature’s direction: "If we ask our agencies to make changes, they make significant changes, and we refuse to change course with them, then we put our power of the purse is no longer relevant," she said.

The substitute failed on a committee vote that split the House and Senate delegations evenly. The clerk summarized the substitute tally as a 10‑10 tie; the chair announced, "The majority has not voted in the affirmative. Therefore, this motion has failed, and we will go to the original motion." The original motion carried among the House members in committee but did not achieve a majority among the Senate members present. Committee minutes state the Senate delegation vote on the original motion was 5 yes, 5 no; the House vote was 8 yes, 2 no. Because the Senate delegation did not approve it, the chair said the original motion will be "sent to the Senate" for further consideration.

Debate repeatedly returned to the stated rationale for the proposed reductions. Representative Petzke asked, "What exactly are we reducing here?" and sought specificity about programs and positions that would be affected. Committee members acknowledged that institutions decide how to implement base reductions. Representative Petzke raised an example from the University of Idaho about potential cuts to early‑stage programs if reductions were mandatory.

Members also tied the proposed cuts to concerns about campus programming. Senator Cook asked whether the $2,000,000 reductions were intended as punishment for past DEI programming; Senator Horman described the motion as a pragmatic compromise reflecting pressure from the House and the legislature's oversight role.

In separate votes, the committee approved language to increase legislative oversight of ICOM negotiations (the motion assigns Idaho State University lead agency status for negotiations, requires disclosure to the Legislative Services Office and prohibits nondisclosure agreements related to those negotiations) and approved language directing the Legislative Audits Division to audit Boise State University, Idaho State University, Lewis‑Clark State College and the University of Idaho for compliance with Idaho code related to DEI and report back to JFAC by Dec. 1, 2025. Representative Price moved the DEI audit language; Senator Zetterfeld seconded. The clerk recorded the audit language passage as a committee vote of 17 ayes, 3 nays (senate 8‑2, house 9‑1).

A separate proposal to require any funds recovered from negotiations tied to the University of Phoenix purchase be reverted to the general fund failed on a committee vote and will not be included with the motion.

What happens next: The college and university budget language that includes the reductions will be considered by the Senate because the Senate delegation in committee did not reach a majority in favor. The DEI audit and ICOM transparency language were approved by JFAC and will be included in the committee’s package going forward.