Lewis‑Clark State College cites enrollment, pay gap and new programs as budget priorities

Lewis‑Clark State College President Cynthia Pemberton told Idaho’s Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Jan. 27 that the college’s FY2025 base appropriation and tuition treatment leave gaps the institution is asking the Legislature to address.

Pemberton said Lewis‑Clark — which the analyst reported serves 3,881 students — is relying on a mix of state appropriations, tuition and endowment distributions. “We are North Idaho’s health care education leader,” she said, noting nursing and allied‑health programs as enrollment and workforce priorities.

Kevin Campbell, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, gave the committee a multi‑year budget overview and explained how tuition and fees are reappropriated between fiscal years. Campbell said the college’s FY2025 base appropriation is about $41.7 million and that, for FY2024, Lewis‑Clark’s total appropriation was $40,517,100 while tuition and fee revenue in that year was about $23.7 million and…